B.C.’s environment minister is providing more details about talks with two First Nations that led to the reopening of one of the province’s most popular parks.
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, known as Pipi7iekw to the Lil’wat and N’Quatqua nations, has been closed to the public, with the exception of the Labour Day weekend, since Aug. 23.
Joffre Lakes Park opening for long weekend amid temporary closure
The province moved to close the park after the two nations announced they were shuttering it to public access for more than a month in order to conduct traditional harvesting and ceremonial activities.
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The province announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with the nations to reopen the park on Sept. 19, with a one-day closure on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Minister George Heyman told Global News that the province and nations have been engaging on conditions in the park since a 2019 letter of understanding on controlling visitors, amid a massive surge.
“So we have agreed to limit the numbers based on science, on experience and on Indigenous knowledge so we ensure we’re protecting the natural value and ecosystems of the park as well as the visitor experience,” Heyman said in an interview.
“But also they felt we weren’t moving fast enough, and they essentially announced they were implementing a unilateral closure.”
Heyman said the agreement reached with the nations will see the park reopen for public access, but more importantly moves the needle with regards to ongoing talks about park management and Indigenous use of the land.
He said a critical component of that was making sure the nations understood they’d been heard and that the province was committed to working with them.
“We’ve also reached agreement with the two nations on meeting over the fall and winter to define and reach agreement on what days will be closed in 2024 and going forward to allow the nations to engage in their fruit harvesting activities, their cultural practices relating to those activities in peace and harmony and in privacy for a certain period of time during which there will be closures,” Heyman said.
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“The difference of course will be that will be known in advance, rather than the last-minute surprise that people were unfortunately subjected to this year.”
Controversial shutdown of Joffre Lake Park by B.C. First Nations
Heyman said the province had “guaranteed” the nations will have some time of privacy in the future, and in turn, the public will have certainty about when the park is open.
The park, located between Pemberton and Lillooet, has become a massive tourist attraction — in part because of its Instagrammable views.
A provincial report found that there were nearly 200,000 visitors in 2019, an increase of 222 per cent from nine years earlier.
BC Parks subsequently implemented mandatory but free day passes in order to help control crowds.
The nations, however, have complained about a lack of respect from the public including parking issues and an accumulation of litter — leading to the closure.
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One B.C. lawyer who specializes in Indigenous law said he’s watching the latest developments, and said while we haven’t seen a situation like this before, it may not be precedent-setting.
“Based on everything I’ve read in the case law, there’s no basis for a First Nation to close a park. I understand a First Nation may take that position, and you know that’s fair enough but the legal authority doesn’t exist under the Park Act,” Robin Junger told Global News.
“Will it be a precedent in other ways? It’s not a legal precedent, it’s not like a case law from the Supreme Court. Will it affect expectations? Possibly.
Joffre Lakes Park closed to public until end of September
Junger said that the Minister of Environment has the power under the Park Act to enter into agreements with First Nations related to the use of park lands for the exercise of their Indigenous rights.
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Whether the agreement reached with the nations was done so under those powers, the terms of that agreement and whether it will be made public are fair questions to ask, he added.
“This sounds like legal details and technicalities, but on the other hand this is the framework under which these discussions are to occur, and that’s why the legislation exists,” he said.
“I think if these discussion occur through the mechanisms of the legislation and they involve proper input for interested parties and consideration of the public interest, then things should work out.”
Heyman, meanwhile, hailed the agreement as a step forward in the ongoing process of Indigenous reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is a journey. we’re not going to get there tomorrow, but we’re going to continue to take steps,” he said.
“For people who are looking for a magic bullet or giant significant action after which it’s all done, they’re not going to find that. What they’re going to find is relationship building, steady progress.”
Steve Martin is addressing Miriam Margolyes’ claim he was ‘horrid’ to her while working together on the 1986 movie musical Little Shop of Horrors.
“When I first read Miriam Margolyes’ pejorative account of our scene in Little Shop of Horrors, I was surprised. My memory is that we had a good communication as professional actors,” Martin, 78, told Us Weekly in a statement on Friday, September 15. “But when it is implied that I harmed her or was in some way careless about doing the stunts, I have to object.”
Margolyes, 82, played a dental receptionist to Martin’s villainous Orin Scrivello inLittle Shop of Horrors. During an interview with Australian news site news.com.au on Friday, she claimed that it took her and Martin several tries to nail a scene in the musical number “Dentist!”in which he knocks out her character with a punch.
“I remember taking EXTREME caution regarding the fake punch — the same caution I would use with any similar scene,” Martin’s statement continued. “She assured me she felt fine, and we did a few successful takes and stopped. There was never any physical contact between her and me, accidental or otherwise, in this scene or any other we shot.”
Celebrity feuds are so captivating that there’s even an award-winning Ryan Murphy anthology TV series devoted to the topic. While some A-list beefs seem inevitable — Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B, for example, or Jef Holm vs. Arie Luyendyk Jr. — others seem to come out of nowhere. Freddie Prinze Jr., for instance, spoke ill […]
Martin concluded by claiming that there were many other people also watching the stunt at the time. “Also on the set, keeping their eyes on the action, was the highly skilled and sensitive director, Frank Oz, a stunt coordinator, a camera crew, a script supervisor, as well as extras who witnessed the entire, very-well rehearsed scene.”
Oz, meanwhile, told Us in a statement on Friday: “I always rehearse physical actions in slow motion. The scene was supposed to include a fake punch. It’s puzzling what she’s talking about. It’s not the Steve I know or anyone knows. He’s always been professional and respectful of everyone on all of my shoots.”
Margolyes — who is well known for her role in the Harry Potter film series — previously opened up about her alleged “vile experience” working with Martin in her new memoir, Oh Miriam!: Stories From An Extraordinary Life — which hit shelves earlier this month. In the book, the actress claimed that Martin was “rather horrible” to film with on set.
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She later expanded on her remarks during her news.com.au interview, claiming she had a “splitting headache” after attempting to film the “Dentist!” scene and that Martin was “incredibly unfriendly, because he was a perfectionist.” She added that while he was “correct” in trying to get “the comic moment right,” he “should have included” her in the process.
Despite recognizing Martin’s talents as a “gifted”and “brilliant” comedic actor, she concluded her thoughts by calling him a “c—t,” adding, “That’s all I can tell you.”
A previous version of this article incorrectly said that current Planned Parenthood employees were involved in Charley’s development. They are former employees. This version has been corrected.
For abortion seekers, deciding whom to trust is important. Now there’s an online chatbot that purports to help.
Starting this week, an abortion bot called Charley from the team behind major abortion organizations including IneedanA and Plan C is rolling out across the United States — even in states with abortion bans — to help people find accessible health care.Users answer a series of questions such as the date of their last period, their Zip code and the type of procedure they’re looking for. Along the way, the bot points them toward vetted clinics, telehealth providers or support resources.
But the bot is launching into a complicated landscape for both abortion and health-care technology.
The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision striking down the nationwide right to an abortion caused many clinics to close, forcing abortion seekers to travel out of state or hunt for pills online. Fears about digital privacy and criminal prosecution left abortion seekers unsure which online resources — from period trackers to Google search — were safe to use. And the dangers of mixing AI and health care are still coming into focus. This year, a mental health support app used ChatGPT to converse with patients without disclosing that they were talking to a bot. A Washington Post investigationfound that ChatGPT itself will give users dangerous health advice around disordered eating.
The Charley team is familiar with the hurdles abortion seekers face and the information they need, said Nicole Cushman, a subject matter lead for Charley and former director of education at Planned Parenthood. It’s because of these challenges, not despite them, that now is the right time for an abortion bot, she said.
“It’s a lot easier than relying on the user to go through this scavenger hunt from one site to another to piece together the information theyneed,” she said.
Why trust an abortion bot?
Charley is a chatbot, but it’s different from tools such as ChatGPT that use artificial intelligence to mimic human conversation.
That’s important in part because those models are plagued by problems. They hallucinate, or make up information and present it as fact. They’re easy to manipulate, at times with hilarious results. And they reflect the biases of the data they’re trained on — usually gobs of text from the internet.
Exposing abortion seekers to those risks would be inappropriate, Cushman said, so instead Charley works like a decision tree, offering pre-vetted information in response to user selections.
Charley doesn’t ask for identifiable information such as your name, address, email or phone number, according to its privacy policy. However, it does store your IP address, which is traceable to your general location, and chat history for a limited time. Metadata such as IP address is encrypted immediately and deleted promptly, Charley spokeswoman Emma Sands said, though the organization won’t share the exact time frame to help protect users from law enforcement subpoenas.
Davi Ottenheimer, vice president of trust and digital ethics at data security company Inrupt, reviewed Charley for The Postand found that the webpage wasn’t sharing data with third parties, a common marketing practice even for health-care organizations. He also didn’t immediately identify vulnerabilities in the site or the bot, he said.
“You can see that they took care in developing it,” Ottenheimer said.
Still, the Charley team recommends that users take some security precautions, particularly if they live in a state with an abortion ban. Be careful whom you tell about your abortion search — friends and family tend to be bigger threats than your digital footprint. If you want to keep your visit to Charley private, delete your search history, use Chrome’s incognito mode or choose a browser that doesn’t store your activity.
Do we really need a bot for this?
Chatbots can save time. They can also be reductive or unpredictable. When does it make sense to build one?
Charley representatives said in the case of abortion search, a bot is the right solution. Since the Dobbs decision, many abortion clinics have been forced to alter their services or close, making it tougher for advocacy organizations to maintain up-to-date directories of operational clinics, said Rebecca, executive director at abortion database IneedanA who spoke on the condition that her last name be withheld for privacy.
Google allows crisis pregnancy centers — which often promote parenting or adoption and sometimes disguise themselves as clinics — to pay for sponsored search slots that appear at the top of the page. And Charley says its research found top Google results for abortion-related searches don’t always include information on telehealth and abortion medications by mail, leaving seekers with the impression they have to travel to receive care.
Google spokesman Davis Thompson disputed that finding abortion information on Google is difficult. Google labels sponsored results and puts an additional label on sponsored results for abortion searches indicating whether organizations actually provide the service. It updated those disclosures in 2022 to make them more prominent, Thompson said.
A standard internet search can leave abortion seekers confused and intimidated, Rebecca said. Charley, by contrast, is a walled garden that only points users toward providers, financial help or psychological support that’s been reviewed by a team of doctors and lawyers, she said. For instance, the tool keeps updated information on state abortion limits so users can know exactly how long they have to make a decision and plan their care.
Charley lives on a homepage, but the team is encouraging other organizations to embed the tool on their websites, as well.
Maybe the bot can help streamline the scattered search for an abortion. It could also serve as a reminder for other organizations tempted to build a health-care bot: Keep it safe, simple and secure.
Shawn Levy did something he’s never done before on a project: He put out a global, open casting call for his co-created Netflix series, All the Light We Cannot See, based on Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel.
And for good reason: Levy wanted to bring an authentic take to a novel that meant a great deal to the blind community.
All the Light We Cannot See follows, blind French girl, Marie Laure, who with her father has to leave Paris when the Nazis invade during WWII. She goes to live with family in Britanny in the coastal town of Saint- Malo. Her story is intercut with that of Werner, who is taken from an orphanage. The Nazis want to indoctrinate him given his genius with radios, but Werner stays pure.
“When you cast a blind young woman to play the lead, you’re getting the benefit of her lived experience,” Levy explained to us at Deadline’s TIFF studio, the miniseries having made its world premiere at the festival.
“You’re looking for a needle in a haystack, it’s not like there are agencies that represent low-vision and blind actresses,” the filmmaker adds.
Out of hundreds of submissions, Levy found Aria Mia Loberti, a recent Fulbright Scholar and Ph.D. student in Rhetoric at Pennsylvania State University and a United Nations Youth Delegate. Loberti tried out given that she was a fan of the novel. It was her first audition. Despite no formal acting training, she beat out thousands and landed what is her first-ever acting role.
“I can’t name a time where a blind girl and a blind young woman are playing a blind character at two different ages and representing their own experiences,” said Levy. Nell Sutton, who plays the younger Marie, is also blind.
On why he selected Loberti, Levy says, “there was a presence to her and an intelligence to her that came through in the midst of a numbing number of auditions.”
“The day I told her she got the lead in this, is a day I’ll never forget,” says the filmmaker.
Levy here talks with Doerr about adapting the novel to series, as well as its resonance to today in its exploration of technology.
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For journalism students, it’s lore: The tale of how the famed writer Tom Wolfe sold a story about car customizers to Esquire, was hit by writers’ block and handed in a harried 49-page memo on deadline, which the editor published as is — minting a star and helping to usher in a new trend of literary reportage.
Wolfe was a mythmaker who gained a mythical stature, with his white suit, contrarian takes and irreverently vivid way with words. For him, style was a kind of substance. This makes the new film about his life and career, “Radical Wolfe,” something of a letdown: Richard Dewey’s staid, by-the-book documentary can hardly match the flair with which Wolfe lived and wrote.
The film adapts a 2015 Vanity Fair article by the writer Michael Lewis, who appears as a talking head alongside Wolfe’s peers, like Gay Talese, and loved ones, including his daughter. Their interviews are rather cursory, mostly touching upon Wolfe’s Southern upbringing and incongruously gracious off-page persona, while the archival footage in the film draws heavily on his television interviews.
These offer a dazzling view of a time when long-form journalism held top cultural billing, yet there’s little here that interrogates the man behind the words, his process or his politics. Jamal Joseph, the writer and former Black Panther, is made the sole, thankless critical voice in a rushed section about Wolfe’s notorious New York Magazine piece, “Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny’s,” a mordant account of Leonard Bernstein’s 1970 fund-raiser soiree for the Panther 21.
Wolfe’s knack was for translating sights and sounds exuberantly into words. Jon Hamm’s actorly voice-overs of Wolfe’s writing, woven throughout the film, feel impoverished by contrast — a grasp at a master by lesser artists.
Radical Wolfe Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 16 minutes. In theaters.
The Wheel of Time season two put to rest the notion that Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, fought the Dark One at the Eye of the World. Under the surface, Rand and Moiraine seemed to suspect it couldn’t have been that easy. Indeed, it was not. Moiraine used the poem she obtained from Bayle Domon to determine that the broken cuendillar was part of the seal imprisoning Ishamael. Ishamael is a Forsaken—the most powerful one—and the Dark One’s lieutenant. This isn’t the first time the TV series has mentioned the Forsaken, but who are the Forsaken and why are they bad news? Here’s context with minimal spoilers from the books.
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What Are the Forsaken in The Wheel of Time?
The Forsaken were channelers— most of them Aes Sedai—once. They sold their souls to the Dark One for eternal life, swearing allegiance to him. Also known as the Chosen, this group of 13 channelers served the Shadow in the War of the Shadow. That war was the beginning of the Age of Legends’ downhill slide into its end. Though many Forsaken led the Shadow’s armies, these 13 carry the title because they were the ones imprisoned with the Dark One. The last Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon, was responsible for trapping them. The Forsaken’s deeds during the war were so evil that they are remembered for them thousands of years later in the Third Age when The Wheel of Time takes place. Moiraine says the Forsaken are so dangerous, that if all of them escape their prisons, the side of Light has no hope of winning the Last Battle.
In The Wheel of Time, some don’t even think the Forsaken existed. They think of them only as bedtime stories meant to frighten children. Those who know the Forsaken are real believe they are safely sealed in their prisons, unable to inflict harm. Ishamael’s appearance in the world and the broken cuendillar prove those seals are no longer reliable barriers.
Who Are the Forsaken?
The 13 Forsaken are: Demandred, Ishamael, Lanfear, Mesaana, Semirhage, Balthamel, Aginor, Asmodean, Rahvin, Sammael, Be’lal, Graendal, and Moghedien.
As you can imagine, a group of ultra-powerful and ultra-ambitious evil-doers do a lot of jockeying for rank. They ultimately serve the Dark One and do whatever they can to accomplish the most in his name. Selfish and focused, they regularly betray and outmaneuver each other. They form precarious, untrustworthy alliances with each other and whoever they think will help them.
Which Forsaken Have We Met in The Wheel of Time TV Series?
We have met two Forsaken so far in The Wheel of Time TV series.
Ishamael
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Rand believed him to be the Dark One, but now we know that is not true. Ishamael mentioned it at the beginning of the first episode when he told the little girl who he was. And now we know Ishamael is working with the Seanchan, one of whom was at his earlier Darkfriend meet-up, which cannot lead to good things. As we mentioned, Ishamael is the most powerful of the Forsaken. He broke Moiraine’s connection with the One Power with a flick of his wrist.
Lanfear
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Surprise, Selene is actually Lanfear. The broken cuendillar Master Domon brought Moiraine was from outside Cairhien, where Selene has been running an inn and hooking up with Rand. Ishamael uttered a dark poem and broke the seal on Lanfear’s prison. In the Old Tongue, her name means “daughter of the night.” Lanfear goes by that name. She is stronger than almost all other female channelers, though not as powerful as Ishamael. Moiraine calls Lanfear the most dangerous of the Forsaken. She’s known for her casual cruelty and her mastery of the World of Dreams, or Tel’Aran’Rhiod. That connects to her Daughter of the Night nickname.
Can You Kill a Forsaken?
As we learned in The Wheel of Time‘s fourth episode, killing a Forsaken by traditional means does not necessarily stop them. Lanfear is far from gone. She healed her sliced neck within minutes, or the Dark One resurrected her. It seems the TV series may be handling Forsaken deaths differently than the books, but in those stories, one can kill a Forsaken. It is not easy and usually requires a dangerous weave of the One Power, but it can be done.
Prime Video
We may not see all 13 Forsaken from the books. The Wheel of Time TV series is an adaptation of many thousands of pages, first of all. Also, some of the Forsaken are more interesting (more terrible?) than others. Plus, we saw in season one that the Warder Stepin had statues of the Forsaken. The idea is you make offerings to them to ward off the Forsaken. Stepin had eight statues displayed, which may mean that’s all the Forsaken we’ll see in the TV series.
However, Lanfear mentioned some of other Forsaken while talking to Ishamael, so they seem like safe bets. She named Moghedien, Graendal, and “the boys.”
The long-awaited 4.1 version of Genshin Impact is nearing its release, and with it comes a slew of new content for travelers to experience. This new version of the game comes just in time to celebrate the game’s third Anniversary with an Archon story expansion, two new world bosses, and two new Catalyst characters that will join the roster as 5* characters.
Starting off will be the introduction of the Northern area of Fontaine. The Traveler is sent to this area in search of Childe after the events in the Court of Fontaine. As players explore this new area, they will come across two new boss enemies, a Millennial Pearl Seahorse who dishes out Electro Damage, and the Experimental Field Generator which counteracts the effects of gravity.
The character roster is expanding once again with the introduction of two new characters: Neuvilette and Wriothesley. Neuvilette is a Hydro Catalyst user who deals damage through straight-line surging torrents, while Wriothesley challenges enemies from up close, dealing Cryo damage with his fists. Both characters consume health to buff the damage of certain types of attacks. Neuvilette will be available with Hu Tao during the first round of Event Wishes, followed by Wriothesley and Venti in the second.
Version 4.1 of Genshin Impact will also see a collaborative poetry event between Mondstadt and Liyue. The festival features several mini-games, and an exclusive 4-star Catalyst can be redeemed as a reward.
Additionally, the daily login event is back with up to x10 Intertwined Fates and other bonuses. To celebrate the anniversary, players can claim x1,600 Primogems, some Fragile Resin, and two unique gadgets: The Portable Aerodynamic Gelatinous Bubble Generator and Itti Bitty Octobaby. Genshin Impact 4.1 will arrive on September 27 on PC, PlayStation, Android and iOS.
About the Author
Ule Lopez
A journalist from Mexico obsessed with Shiny Eevees, he wears his profession with pride as he researches current-day stories and plays JRPGs and horror games.
Love it or hate it, AI is here and it’s changing the very bedrock of every industry it touches. As the de facto leader of the AI movement right now, ChatGPT is proving that there are millions of ways in which its large language model-based chatbot can be utilized to assist with different digital tasks.
Yet, while AI has certainly found its way into video editing by assisting with automated tasks like background removal and color-correcting, there haven’t been too many ways in which a chatbot like ChatGPT could integrate with your video editing workflow.
However, all that might change with new text-based editing updates from the likes of Adobe and Blackmagic, as well as these creative video editing techniques that have been provided by ChatGPT itself.
So let’s take a look at these five ways to consider using ChatGPT as part of your video editing process.
Montage
Now, what’s interesting about the source video for this project from the YouTube channel Movavi Vlog, is that not only are these tips for using ChatGPT as part of your editing process, but the entire video itself was inspired and planned by ChatGPT itself.
So these are actually ChatGPT’s tips for using ChatGPT for video editing. Wild, right?
This does create some issues off the bat though as ChatGPT only suggests showing a “fast-paced montage” to start, so our host has to do a bit of the leg work here to pick the clips and make the edits himself.
However, if you are serious about trying to use ChatGPT, it could be used in more of a producer role—or editing supervisor—and be asked for more specific examples of clips, ordering, and lengths here to really make sure the montage fits into a holistic plan (which ChatGPT can outline for you to start).
Animation
In this section of the video, our host handles some basic keyframe functions based on recommendations made by ChatGPT. There’s nothing super technical done here provided by ChatGPT in this example, but if you are looking for more AI-scripted refinements, you could always ask ChatGPT for much more specific guidelines and examples.
From there our host continues with his ChatGPT script and handles the majority of the sequencing for his video. He, again, makes changes off of his ChatGPT script as he sees fit, but if he did want to double down here he could ask ChatGPT for more specific sequencing guidelines and recommendations.
The most interesting part here though is the titling and text he adds into this sequence as that’s exactly what ChatGPT would excel the most at. To streamline your video editing process further, you could also use ChatGPT to help restructure the text of your video scripts and even combine that with the text-based editing tools which are now a part of Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.
Color Correction
It’s kind of fascinating that ChatGPT can even give suggestions for something as visual and aesthetic-based as color grading, but as you can see in our video our host asks ChatGPT for suggestions for color correcting and grading to dictate exactly how he’ll eventually grade the footage in his video.
While ChatGPT can’t currently review clips or images, there’s little doubt that we’ll see some similar technology in the future for ChatGPT itself, or with ChatGPT-related AI technologies. In fact, there are already AI-powered color grading tools out there like ColourLab which offers one-click AI color grading.
Sound
Probably the most direct way in which ChatGPT can help with your videos (and a bit of a surprise to me until I watched this video), our host uses ChatGPT to recommend music tracks to use in his video based on which library he wants to utilize.
For this video, our host asks for background stock music options from the YouTube Audio Library, which is free to use for YouTube videos like the one above. Since ChatGPT has done the majority of the planning and scripting for this video, it is able to make suggestions that should ideally fit in quite nicely with the video’s tone and messaging.
However, as we see often in this video, our host does make some executive decisions about which tracks to use and how much of them — as well as handles all of the keyframing and syncing of the video and audio together.
Still, if you’re looking for some fun AI projects to try out, this is a good way to introduce yourself to ChatGPT and begin exploring how it can be used as part of your video editing process.
Looking for the best Amazon workout sets? Yeah, you and everyone else! Season after season, monochromatic outfits have ruled designer runways as a major trend. So, it’s no surprise that matching workout sets have recently made a splash on the gym scene, too. They’re huge on TikTok, and everyone from Alo to Nike sells them. But if you’re not looking to splurge on yoga pants and tennis skirts, the move is to turn to Amazon.
To help you with your search, we’ve dug through thousands of products and found the best workout sets for women on the site, so you don’t have to scroll endlessly. (And if you’re also looking to stock up on more separates, we’ve found the best leggings on Amazon and the best sports bras on Amazon, too—just as an FYI!)
Whether you’re looking for an athleisure ‘fit for your daily hot girl walk or something more supportive for a weight-lifting sesh or Peloton ride, it’s important to look for the best workout clothes that make you feel great. And don’t forget that things like fit, material, and function are important, too when shopping for wardrobe essentials like black leggings, running shorts, and exercise-friendly socks for sweaty feet.
“I encourage everyone to wear whatever they like at the gym, especially if it makes the experience more enjoyable,” says New York City-based personal trainer Ivana Bolf. “But ensuring your clothing fits, stays put as you move, and is appropriate for your specific activity is also super important. What will support you during something like yoga may not translate well to an activity like CrossFit, for example. You should also pay attention to the fabric of your workout clothing. For some, having a sweat-wicking material may be important, while others may prefer the buttery feeling of non-sweat-wicking material.”
With Bolf’s notes in mind, we dove deep into shoppers’ product reviews, pictures, and videos to find the best Amazon workout sets under $60 that don’t roll up, slip down, or hold onto perspiration. Shop by style, fit, activity, or value to find the perfect set for you.
Saladin K. Patterson’s reboot of The Wonder Years will not be returning for a third season on ABC.
As broken by Deadline, ABC has opted to pull the plug on The Wonder Years after two seasons. The Disney-owned network may have foreshadowed this development when it pushed The Wonder Years Season 2’s premiere from midseason to summer, as the latter window is often occupied by shows that have either already been canceled or are likely to be canceled.
Upon its debut in 2021, The Wonder Years was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. However, the coming-of-age comedy series struggled to attract and maintain a large audience, particularly in its second season. Deadline reports that The Wonder Years Season 2 was ABC’s least-watched show — both for this summer and for the 2022-2023 season as a whole.
While The Wonder Years has been canceled, the jury remains out on fellow ABC shows The Rookie: Feds and Home Economics, both of which are still awaiting renewal decisions. The Good Lawyer pilot is also awaiting word on a series pickup. All of these projects are in a state of limbo due the the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and are reportedly more likely to be canceled the longer the strikes go on.
The Wonder Years reboot offered a new take on a classic
Patterson’s The Wonder Years is based on the 1988-1993 ABC series of the same name created by Neal Marlens and Carol Black. The reboot centers on Dean Williams (Elisha “EJ” Williams), an imaginative 12-year-old growing up in a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama during the 1960s. Don Cheadle serves as the show’s narrator, providing the voice of an older Dean. The main cast also includes Dulé Hill and Saycon Sengbloh as Dean’s parents, as well as Laura Kariuk’s as Dean’s sister, Kim.
Both seasons of The Wonder Years are currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
The entertainment industry is just one sector of many that has seen the effects of a volatile stock market over the past year, along with a prevailing trend of more extreme fluctuations in price.
As of market close June 2, the leading entertainment conglomerates — Disney, Paramount Global and Fox — all underperformed the S&P 500’s 12% gain so far this year. These companies topped an even more woeful first half of 2022, when all the aforementioned businesses were down by double digits in market cap versus the same period a year ago.
Amidst the turbulence, though, there remains a glimmer of hope for resilient investors as the market continues to show potential for robust returns.
For even the most veteran investors, stock recommendation services can be a helpful guide towards the right investments. The Stock Advisor Tool from The Motley Fool, whose stock picks have averaged returns of 502%* over the past two decades, is one of the best services available — and it’s currently just $79/year for new members for a limited time.
How it works? For just $1.52 per week (or $79/year), the service boasts a vast library of financial investment tips and ongoing stock recommendations for your portfolio, including ten starter stocks as well as new stock recommendations sent to your email every month.
Their results over the past seven years speak for themselves: If you had invested $10,000 with Stock Advisor back in 2002 — the year they recommended buying Marvel and Amazon stock — you’d now have more than $300,000 in your investment account.
Plus, every so often, the team of analysts at The Motley Fool issue a rare ‘Double Down’ recommendation: a chance for investors who missed the boat on a great stock to get in again…and a chance for investors who did buy to add to their gains.
Previous “Double Down” picks include:
— Netflix, up +23,780%* since they doubled down on 12/17/2004
— Amazon, up +17,957%* since they doubled down on 9/6/2002
— Apple, up +3,254%* since they doubled down on 6/20/2008
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In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare wrote, “Though she be but little, she is fierce,” and we’re guessing that he was talking about the best bullet vibrators. Bullets are some of the best vibrators on the market due to their discreet size, surprising power, and ability to dole out toe-curling orgasms time after time. Whether you’re in the market for a vibe for masturbation or a great sex toy for couples, you need a bullet in your life—and here’s everything you need to know before your buy one.
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TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! A former fine arts student, director Alain Parroni is no slouch when it comes to photographing this tale of Italian Gen Z’s. The images are generally ravishing, dimmed only by the question of what they are actually telling us. Is An Endless Sunday as self-indulgent as it often appears, or is the narrative strung between the visual fireworks more sly and full than first impressions allow?
Alex (Enrico Bassetti), Brenda (Federica Valentini), and Kevin (Zackari Delmas) are a trio who seem to live in limbo. They endlessly hang out, using a hot hatch, motorbikes, and trains to bounce between their crappy coastal suburb and the center of Rome. They don’t seem to belong anywhere. No parents exist. The only guidance is from Brenda’s superstitious grandma. Their phones beep and trill, the soundtrack is littered with voice messages, and everywhere they go, digital media is there like strange weather, such as when they hide out behind a giant video screen at Saint Peter’s. The only authority, it seems, is that of Apple and Samsung, a remote and oppressive occupying force in their young lives.
“…using a hot hatch, motorbikes, and trains to bounce between their crappy coastal suburb and the center of Rome. They don’t seem to belong anywhere.”
While in Rome, Brenda nervously fends off her boyfriend Alex’s pawing by revealing she is pregnant. Alex, a decent skin, immediately says he’ll get a job. They joke about how much better it is to be young, pretty parents than ‘old fucks’ and it feels like the two of them have a chance at something with meaning. Circling these young lovers and inseparable from them is Kevin, wild and unlovely, stealing everything he sees and vandalizing anything left. He nonetheless feels like the only real source of energy next to the otherwise torpid duo.
There are times in this film where you start to wonder if it is an open mockery. The kids loiter under a giant cloud of scaffolding, strikingly like the set of Fellini’s 8 1/2. Their tower block, stranded in dusty emptiness, mirrors Bicycle Thieves, and then we get a helicopter ride over Rome which can’t help but recall La Dolce Vita. It feels like Parroni is conjuring these totems in reverse, perhaps to drive home how disintegrated the home of his protagonists is, moving forever backward against the tide of the greater world. Or maybe it’s ego, or I’m imagining it all. It’s hard to say.
If approved, it would ban Mr Trump from making statements “regarding the identity, testimony, or credibility of prospective witnesses” and “statements about any party, witness, attorney, court personnel, or potential jurors that are disparaging and inflammatory, or intimidating”.
Ariana Madix is counting on support from her Vanderpump Rulespals. ET’s Rachel Smith spoke to the 38-year-old reality star ahead of her Dancing With the Stars stint, and she expressed excitement about having her Bravo castmates come cheer her during her run.
“I hope so,” she said of having her famous friends sit in the DWTS audience. “I’m looking forward to seeing my girls come and support.”
In fact, it’s for some of the littlest members of the VPR cast that Madix hopes to make it to Disney Week of the competition.
“I really hope I can make it to Disney Week, because I really want Summer and Ocean to be able to come watch and see all the Disney dancers,” she said of Scheana Shay and Lala Kent‘s daughters, before noting that the former tot may even help choose her song for that week.
“I would love to see what Summer thinks. I know she’s a big Moana fan, a big Frozen fan,” Madix said. “I just want to make her proud. She’s my little bestie, because she’s my bestie’s baby. She is so cute.”
“I’ll be doing both, voting and watching. I’m really excited for her,” he told ET. “I know she has been wanting to do this show for years. I think she’s going to do great. She’s a really hard worker. I think she’ll go far, hopefully.”
While Madix didn’t comment on Sandoval’s support, she did confirm that she’s long dreamed of competing on DWTS.
“I just kind of wanted to see if I could do it. Really watching the show for years, I’m such a fan of the performances. You watch and you’re like, ‘Oh, I want to do that,'” she said. “I’m a hard worker, so I love being able to put that hard work into dance, into my book, the sandwich shop, all of those things and it gives me a sense of accomplishment and self-worth that is kind of unparalleled. I’m really excited to be in this space in my life.”
As for the emotions that the competition may bring up, Madix, who’s partnered with Pasha Pashkov, said she’s “going to try my best to embrace all of that.”
“There was already something you said in rehearsal the other day that almost made me cry in a nice way,” Madix said to Pashkov. “You said something about, ‘You don’t have to try to do it all yourself. I’ll do it. You’re not going to fall. You’re not going to hurt yourself.’ I was like, ‘You’re right… That’s so true, because that’s how I am in my life as well.’ I have the best partner.”
Season 32 of Dancing With the Stars premieres Sept. 26 on ABC and Disney+.
“The Wonder Years” has been canceled at ABC after two seasons, Variety has confirmed.
Based on the 1988 series of the same name, the reimagined show followed a Black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama, through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean. As he looks back on his childhood with the wisdom of his adult years, Dean’s hopeful and humorous recollections show how his family found their “wonder years” during the late 1960s.
Don Cheadle, narrated the series as adult Dean Williams. He was joined among the cast by Elisha “EJ” Williams as Dean Williams, Dulé Hill as Bill Williams, Saycon Sengbloh as Lillian Williams, Laura Kariuki as Kim Williams, Julian Lerner as Brad Hitman, Amari O’Neil as Cory Long and Milan Ray as Keisa Clemmons.
“The Wonder Years” joins “Big Sky,” “Alaska Daily” and “The Company You Keep” among the list of ABC’s canceled scripted series this year. The latter three cancellations were made in May amid the WGA strike while the reboot comes shortly after SAG-Aftra joined the WGA on strike. The network has yet to announce renewal decisions for “The Rookie: Feds” and “Home Economics,” but announced a pilot order for “The Good Doctor” spinoff, “The Good Lawyer” starring Felicity Huffman and Kennedy McMann. ABC renewed “The Good Doctor” for Season 7 in April.
Lee Daniels and Marc Velez of Lee Daniels Entertainment executive produced the series along with the show’s original star, Fred Savage. Saladin Patterson serves as writer and executive producer. The series is produced by 20th Television, a division of Disney Television Studios.
Logline: One Life tells the story of Sir Nicholas Winton (Anthony Hopkins), a British stockbroker who visited Prague in 1939 was shocked by the country’s desperate situation. Determined to do something about it, he evacuated several hundred children ahead of the Nazi invasion — a feat of heroism he kept secret for many years.
International Sales: FilmNation
Panelists: James Hawes (director), Iain Canning, Joanna Laurie (producer), Guy Heeley (producer)
First Screening: Sept. 9, 2023.
Key Quote: “In 2010, my business partner Emile Sherman and I went to meet Nicholas Winton. We said, ‘We would really love to option your life rights and to make a film about you,’ and he said, ‘Everyone who needs to know about me already knows, so thank you very much. I don’t need a film made about me.’ We were sort of shocked, but we wanted to respect this incredibly humble, amazing human being. So we didn’t [take it any further], and we left him alone. He lived to be 106, had the most incredible life, and his daughter, who had written a book about him with his permission, remembered our meeting. She called us up and asked, would we be interested in making film about him?” – Iain Canning.
MGM properties are still reeling from a cyberattack which sent some of Las Vegas’ biggest hotels into disarray … but that’s not stopping Sin City’s heavyweight performers, who are full steam ahead this weekend.
Bill Maher is doing stand-up this weekend at the MGM Grand — where check-out lines have been as far as the eye can see as a result of the cyberattack — but a rep for Bill tells us his Friday and Saturday shows are still going on as planned.
Newsflare
Cirque Du Soleil — a Vegas staple — has shows at a number of MGM properties including the Grand, Bellagio and Mandalay Bay … and a rep tells us they’re all a go for this weekend.
As for other Vegas acts outside MGM hotels … we’re hearing they’re not sweating the cyberattack. Shows for Magic Mike Live at SAHARA, Chris Angel MINDFREAK at Planet Hollywood and Murray The Magician at Tropicana are all on this weekend.
As we reported … the cyberattack hit MGM resorts Monday, blocking guests from getting into their rooms, wreaking havoc on casino slot machines, downing phone lines and shutting down hotel check-ins.
MGM says a “cybersecurity issue” is affecting the company’s systems and the company is working with “leading external cybersecurity experts” to get things under control, but everything has yet to be fixed.
Hacker groups including ALPHV and The Scattered Spider are claiming responsibility for the attack, though MGM has yet to confirm. Still, experts say the problems the resorts are facing show all the signs of a cyberattack.
The good news … live entertainment is plowing ahead.
Despite the nature of their comedy, these hosts are comedians — not journalists, as pointed out in this report from the Pew Research Center.
But, as noted in the profile, like Hasan, they’ve inserted themselves into the political conversation, so factual information is expected but not guaranteed.
Deryck Whibley, the frontman for Canadian pop-punk band Sum 41, has been hospitalized for pneumonia.
The singer’s wife, Ari Whibley, shared the news Friday on social media.
“Deryck and I were suppose to be in Chicago right now, celebrating our eight year wedding anniversary but the universe had a different plan for us,” she wrote in an Instagram post that featured pictures of the musician receiving medical care. “We spent the entire night in the ER and will now be spending the next few days here in the hospital as he fights through pneumonia.”
She explained that, though Whibley is only 43, the illness has the potential to be grave.
“The scariest part is that there is a lot of strain on his heart and they are telling us that there is a possibility of heart failure,” she said.
Representatives for Sum 41 did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Whibley has had several health issues over the years. He has repeatedly injured his back, which caused him to miss many performances. In 2010, the “In Too Deep” singer was hospitalized after he was attacked by three people at a bar in Japan. He revealed in 2014 that he was hospitalized for severe liver and kidney damage due to alcoholism.
“This is obviously not our first time in a situation like this but it brings back a lot of really difficult memories seeing him back in a hospital bed connected to wires and IVs,” Ari Whibley’s statement continued.
“I know how strong he is because I have witnessed what he has been able to overcome but that doesn’t make it any easier to see. I’ll do my best to keep everyone updated but if you could keep him in your heart over the next few days, we could really use it.”
The upcoming DCU reboot renders any Justice League hero’s possible appearance in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom pointless.
The Justice League’s absence in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom can be explained by their inability to breathe underwater and the challenges they would face in Atlantis’s extreme depths.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a standalone story that focuses solely on Aquaman’s personal conflict against Black Manta and his rule over Atlantis.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom doesn’t seem to feature any DCEU Justice League member other than the titular King of Atlantis. The DCEU is officially coming to an end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which focuses entirely on Aquaman’s battle against his archnemesis, Black Manta, and mostly takes place deep underwater. Apart from all of Atlantis and the aquatic lifeforms its king commands, Aquaman’s only superpowered allies in the 2023 sequel seem to be his brother Orm, his wife Mera, and his mother Atlanna.
The last time the Justice League appeared onscreen in the DCEU was in The Flash, where Barry Allen teamed up with Batman and Wonder Woman to catch a Gotham terrorist, saw Superman in a news report, and went out for drinks with Aquaman during The Flash‘s lighthearted post-credits scene. After The Flash, Blue Beetle centered exclusively on Jaime Reyes, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom now follows Arthur Curry in a fully standalone story. But while the Justice League’s absence in the DCEU’s final installment stands out, there are clear real-life and in-universe reasons behind it.
Most Of The Justice League Can’t Breathe Underwater
Even if Aquaman’s Justice League colleagues were available, none of them would be able to do much underwater. In Man of Steel, Superman survived unconscious underwater for several minutes after saving a group of workers from a collapsing oil rig, and he likely used his super speed and endurance to find his way back to shore — all that before learning how to fly. However, Superman’s extraordinary lung capacity isn’t the same as an ability to breathe underwater. Likewise, Wonder Woman’s physiology is superhuman, but breathing underwater isn’t among her special abilities. Batman and the Flash, of course, are limited by their human bodies.
In the source material, Justice League heroes often wear masks during outer space and underwater missions. Still, the Justice League would need special suits to endure Atlantis’ extreme depths. And even then, they wouldn’t be as strong or as fast as a regular Atlantean, so they would likely end up slowing Aquaman down during combat. Apart from the technical aspects, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Black Adam, and The Flash confirmed that Superman and Wonder Woman are busy with their superhero duties across various continents, and Barry Allen is busy exploring the multiverse in Central City.
Cyborg’s Electronics Wouldn’t Do Well In The Sea
The one DCEU Justice League hero who could be able to help Aquaman underwater in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may be Cyborg, whose Mother Box technology allows him to adapt to any scenario. Cyborg’s body can provide him with a mask, underwater propulsion, and pressure-regulating devices. However, any damage to Cyborg’s body could result in disaster, as it isn’t specifically designed for underwater combat. If Cyborg’s mask malfunctions, for example, what’s left of his human body would immediately succumb to the ocean’s extreme conditions, and only Mera’s hydrokinetic abilities could be able to help him survive if she’s able to reach him in time.
Ray Fisher’s complicated history with Warner Bros. has kept Cyborg away from recent DCEU releases. The actor has publicly criticized Justice League‘s theatrical cut director Joss Whedon, producers Geoff Johns and John Berg, and former DC Films president Walter Hamada, claiming unprofessional behavior from all involved during Justice League‘s production. Since then, Cyborg was written out of The Flash and hasn’t been considered for other supporting roles in DCEU movies. Therefore, a Cyborg cameo in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is highly unlikely.
Batman Was Set To Appear But Has Reportedly Been Cut
Ben Affleck’s Batman was always the most likely Justice League hero to appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. After all, Affleck returned for a major supporting role in The Flash and was enthusiastic about his last possible appearances in the DCEU. Jason Momoa allegedly shot some footage not only with Ben Affleck, but also with Michael Keaton for the Aquaman sequel. After the events of The Flash, a Batman farewell appearance in Aquaman 2 could have confirmed exactly what the DCEU’s main universe ended up looking like. But after a series of test screenings and reshoots, it seems like no version of Batman will appear in the Aquaman sequel at any point.
Batman’s absence in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may be due in part to the upcoming DCU reboot that will cut all direct ties to the DCEU, which makes any DCEU set-up and post-credits tease pointless right before Superman: Legacy‘s new starting point. With no space for future DCEU sequels or crossovers, it only makes sense for Aquaman to have a completely independent sequel that doesn’t depend on the wider franchise. Director James Wan wanted a self-contained Aquaman 2. Given the constant changes DC movies have been going through, focusing on Aquaman’s world was the best option, and dropping all Batman cameos likely was a necessary sacrifice.
Could Any Justice League Heroes Still Cameo In Aquaman 2
At this point in the DCEU’s timeline, most superhero crossovers would seem like natural occurrences, even more so when main Justice League heroes are concerned. However, adding any extra DCEU character to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would serve little purpose. First, the DCEU officially ends with the Aquaman sequel, and a surprise Justice League cameo would only raise hopes for nonexistent future DCEU installments. Second, any cameo could leave the guest character’s ending even more open than it already is. And third, a Justice League hero’s appearance in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom could create more confusion around the transition from DCEU to DCU.
After confirming that the Aquaman sequel is a standalone story, James Wan addressed Batman’s Aquaman 2 cameo rumors, advising fans to wait patiently until the movie comes out to confirm if any version of Batman makes an appearance. Just like The Flash shocked audiences with the presence of Nicolas Cage’s Superman and George Clooney’s Bruce Wayne, there’s a very small chance the DCEU could provide a final surprise and pay homage to its version of the Justice League with a last reunion at the end of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. But even if it doesn’t, the film doesn’t need any franchise connections to deliver a solid final chapter to the DCEU.
NME: “We spent nearly four hours playing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, but it feels like we barely scratched the surface of this sequel. Insomniac Games seems to have doubled down on a higher-stakes story and open-world exploration, while players will have a much larger playground in this expanded version of New York City. It remains to be seen how much depth there is to the game’s side activities, but after leaving the gig economy for supervillains in shambles, we left intrigued by everything we’ve seen so far.”
$30,000 fund aims to support three creative teams each year, propelling them towards the realization of their cinematic visions over three years
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is proud to announce the CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund. In collaboration with CJ Cultural Foundation and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund’s goal is to foster, support, and champion Korean Canadian and American filmmakers looking to develop their first or second feature film. The CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund, with an annual budget of $30,000 for a three-year period, will support three creative teams, empowering them to bring their cinematic dreams to life.
“CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund is a testament to our commitment to nurturing new diverse voices and fostering cultural connections in the world of cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s collaboration with CJ Cultural Foundation and KOFIC is a groundbreaking initiative providing support for filmmakers from diasporic communities. By supporting these storytellers in their early journeys, we are building cultural bridges and shaping the future of our industries. We can’t wait to see the remarkable stories that will emerge from this fund.”
The CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund is set to commence accepting applications in November 2023, with the recipients set to be announced in 2024. In addition to receiving the development prize, the selected participants will each receive direct one on one mentorship on story development with CJ ENM.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of the CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund, a platform that will empower the next generation of filmmakers,” said Park Kiyong, chairperson of Korean Film Council. “This fund is to invest in the future of cinema, and KOFIC will provide full support to the creators with the unique perspectives who seek opportunities. As a government agency, we also see this fund as an initiative to boost creativity in Korean and North American film industries, as well as to lay the groundwork for the prospective filmmakers.”
Heekyung Jo Min, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at CJ, launched the K-Story Fund at K-Movie Night and said, “It brings me immense pride to announce the launch of the K-Story Fund in partnership with TIFF this year, which marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Canada. It is our hope that this fund helps filmmakers in North America who are of Korean backgrounds, unleash their creative potential.”
About TIFF: TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $200 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
About CJ Cultural Foundation: CJ Cultural Foundation is a non- profit organisation established by CJ Group in Korea to support young creators to realise their dreams in the field of movie, music, and theatre.
TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, Visa, and BVLGARI®, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
Writer-director Greg Nava made his reputation with the unforgettable 1983 film El Norte, and then gave the world an exceptional musical biopic, Selena. He is happy to recount the stories behind those memorable films for Leonard, who witnessed El Norte’s breakout screening at the Telluride Film Festival, and Jessie, who has committed Selena to memory. This long-overdue conversation follows a happy reunion at this year’s Telluride fest.
Steve Martin is responding to accusations his Little Shop of Horrors co-star Miriam Margolyes made about the actor in her memoir.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin said he remembered their time on set differently, noting he took “extreme caution” when it came to filming the scene in which Margolyes said he actually hit her.
“When I first read Mariam Margolyes pejorative account of our scene in Little Shop of Horrors, I was surprised. My memory is that we had a good communication as professional actors,” Martin’s statement read. “But when it is implied that I harmed her or was in some way careless about doing the stunts, I have to object. I remember taking EXTREME caution regarding the fake punch – the same caution I would use with any similar scene.”
He explained that they talked on set, and she assured him that she was OK. “There was never any physical contact between her and me, accidental or otherwise, in this scene or any other we shot,” he wrote.
The Only Murders in the Building star also noted that while they were filming the scene, there were several other crewmembers on set to ensure that the scene went as smoothly as possible, including director Frank Oz.
“I always rehearse physical actions in slow motion,” Oz said in his own statement. “The scene was supposed to include a fake punch. It’s puzzling what she’s talking about. It’s not the Steve I know or anyone knows. He’s always been professional and respectful of everyone on all of my shoots.”
Margolyes starred as a dental assistant to Martin’s character, the comically sadistic Orin Scrivello. During the musical number “Dentist!” Scrivello punches Margolyes’ character and slams a door in her face.
In Oh Miriam! Stories from an Extraordinary Life, she claims that Martin struck her for real while filming the scene. “I was hit all day by doors opening in my face; repeatedly punched, slapped and knocked down by an unlovely and unapologetic Steve Martin – perhaps he was Method acting – and came home grumpy with a splitting headache,” she wrote in the memoir, according to HuffPost UK. She wrote that Martin was “undeniably brilliant but horrid to me.”
The claims turned heads when they circulated online Friday, given Martin’s affable public persona that has sustained him during a long career that most recently has included accolades for the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.
Margolyes, during her long career, has had roles in the Harry Potter films as Professor Pomona Sprout and won a BAFTA for the 1994 feature The Age of Innocence.
The Hanging Tree, directed by Delmer Daves, is a notable Western movie due to its effective setting and visuals, which portray the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains.
Filmed in locations such as Nile, Yakima, and Goose Prairie in Washington, the movie successfully captures the untamed brush and greenery that convincingly double for the undeveloped wilderness of Montana.
The simplified appearance of the backwoods towns and the majestic mountains in the opening scene of The Hanging Tree set the stage for a classic Western movie.
The 1959 American Western movie The Hanging Tree was filmed in multiple locations, which helped build an effective setting. Based on the novelette by Dorothy M. Johnson and directed by Delmer Daves, the movie follows John Frail (Gary Cooper), a doctor who comes to town in order to escape his dark past and make a new life. The messy storyline also includes Swiss immigrant Elizabeth Mahler (Maria Schell), a victim of a stagecoach robbery who goes blind and falls for Frail. The Hanging Tree holds a respectable 72% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes over 60 years later, proving the movie’s lasting impact.
Delmer Daves is considered one of the best Western movie directors of all time, so it’s unsurprising that this movie gained notoriety. One of the reasons this movie has remained a staple in the Western movie genre is the incredible setting that Daves had built for the production. While The Hanging Tree was not filmed in Montana, where it takes place, the visuals paint a picture of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains, beautiful areas of the United States that have a rich gold mining history.
In The Hanging Tree, the characters Elizabeth, Rune (Ben Piazza), and Frenchy (Karl Malden) team up to buy a claim and a sluice so that they can get rich as prospectors. Scenes approximately two-thirds of the way through the movie include the trio setting up their mining system before finding a significant amount of gold underneath a large tree stump. All these mining scenes were filmed in Nile, Washington. The untamed brush and greenery convincingly doubles for the undeveloped wilderness of Montana. Additionally, the nondescript appearance allows The Hanging Tree to focus on the emotional arcs of the characters.
The Hanging Tree follows Joseph Frail – a doctor, gambler, and gunslinger – as he rides into Skull Creek, Montana, where he hopes to set up a medical practice. However, Baroda Productions filmed the majority of The Hanging Tree in Yakima, Washington. Since both Washington and Montana exist in the same region, it wasn’t extremely obvious that they didn’t film on location in the exact setting. The trees, mountains, and landscape offer a beautiful backdrop that’s visibly part of the Pacific Northwest. It’s unclear whether the interior shots were also filmed in Yakima.
Goose Prairie, Washington
In the first scene of The Hanging Tree, Joseph comes to Skull Creek and saves the injured Rune, who got shot while attempting to steal gold from a sluice. Joseph then forces Rune into servitude in order to pay back his debt for the medical treatment. This entire opening sequence was filmed in Goose Prairie, Washington. The mountains immediately set the scene for The Hanging Tree, especially the buildings, which have the simplified appearance of backwoods towns.
As the fall festivals wind down with fewer actors and writers on hand due to the strikes, more independent movies came into the season looking for buyers. But only a handful of found homes, especially if interim agreements for some titles caused bigger AMPTP distributors to get cold feet.
But there’s still been a market out of Venice, Toronto, and Telluride, even if many titles haven’t sold during the festivals (very little did last year) or get released in 2023. Below are the running list of movies that have found buyers.
Movies Acquired During the Festivals
“Sing Sing” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: A24 Date Acquired: Sept. 15
A24’s first big splash out of TIFF happens to be for a movie that did in fact sign SAG-AFTRA’s interim agreement, Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing.” The distributor is planning a 2024 theatrical release and acquired it in a competitive situation in a seven-figure deal.
Named for the infamous prison, “Sing Sing” is about an incarcerated theater troupe that puts on a play as part of a rehabilitation program. The film’s cast formerly incarcerated actors and is based on a real-life program. But it also utilized a profit participation model in its making such that every member of the film was treated and compensated equally.
Kwedar directed the film and co-wrote it with Clint Bentley. The film stars Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, Sean San José, and Paul Raci. Bentley and Kwedar are also producers alongside Monique Walton.
CAA Media Finance brokered the domestic deal.
“Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa” Section: TIFF Docs Distributor: Netflix Date Acquired: Sept. 12
In what was suggested by some could be a quiet market for documentaries, Netflix came away with one of the titles IndieWire predicted could sell, the latest doc from Lucy Walker, “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa.” The streamer has already announced it will land on Netflix in 2024.
Lhakpa Sherpa was the first Nepali woman to completely summit and survive Mount Everest, but the documentary explores how that recognition and accomplishment didn’t do for her financially what it has for other climbers. Walker stays close with Sherpa and captures her funny, no-nonsense attitude toward climbing and life.
“Mountain Queen” was produced by SK Global Entertainment’s Charlie Corwin, for OBB Pictures, Michael D. Ratner and Miranda Sherman, and for Avocados and Coconuts, Dalia Burde and Christopher Newman. Executive producers include SK Global Entertainment’s Sidney Kimmel, Brian Kornreich, and Jo Henriquez, for OBB Pictures, Scott Ratner, and for Avocados and Coconuts, Amani King, along with Lucy Walker.
“Woman of the Hour”Toronto International Film Festival
“Woman of the Hour” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Netflix Date Acquired: Sept. 11
Netflix in the first major deal out of the festival picked up U.S. rights and other key territories to Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, a period true-crime thriller called “Woman of the Hour.” An individual with knowledge of the sale told IndieWire the deal was for $11 million. Deadline first reported the news.
The film is the true story of Rodney Alcala, a serial killer who appeared on — and won — an episode of the ’70s TV matchmaking game show “The Dating Game.” Daniel Zovatto stars as Alcala, while Kendrick also stars as his unsuspecting match. Kathryn Gallagher, Nicolette Robinson, Kelley Jakle, Autumn Best, Pete Holmes, and Tony Hale also co-star.
“Woman of the Hour” is based on a script by Ian McDonald that landed on The Black List. It’s produced by Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Miri Yoon alongside BoulderLight’s JD Lifshitz and Raphael Margueles. Executive producers are Stuart Ford, Zach Garrett, Miguel A. Palos, Jr., Anna Kendrick, Ian McDonald, Joe Penna, Paul Barbeau, Sean Patrick O’Reilly, Matthew Helderman, Luke Taylor, Andrew Deane, and Stephen Crawford.
“Sorry/Not Sorry” Section: TIFF Docs Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment Date Acquired: Sept. 11
The Louis C.K. documentary “Sorry/Not Sorry” produced by The New York Times was acquired by Greenwich Entertainment for North American rights following its TIFF Docs world premiere on Sunday. The film from directors Caroline Suh (“Working: What We Do All Day”) and Cara Mones (“Blackpink: Light Up the Sky”) examines how the comedian C.K. made a comeback to the stage and even won a Grammy, all after he admitted to sexual harassment in a New York Times article in 2017.
The film was produced by The New York Times and Left/Right. The New York Times journalists Melena Ryzik, Cara Buckley, and Jodi Kantor served as consulting producers. Suh and Mones also produced with Kathleen Lingo for The New York Times. Executive producers are Sam Dolnick, Jason Stallman, Ken Druckerman, and Banks Tarver.
Greenwich’s Andy Bohn negotiated the acquisition with CAA Media Finance on behalf of The New York Times
“Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World” Section: Wavelengths Distributor: MUBI Date Acquired: Sept. 8
MUBI has acquired Locarno Special Jury Prize winner “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World,” the latest from “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn” director Radu Jude. It’s already been selected as Romania’s Oscar submission. MUBI picked up U.S. theatrical and streaming rights and select streaming rights in other territories.
The film is an absurdist comedy set in two parts about the director of a work safety video and the video’s star who was in fact injured on the job because of the company’s negligence, sparking a scandal that forces the man to change his statement.
“The Crow” Section: Market Distributor: Lionsgate Date Acquired: Sept. 7
In a deal made ahead of the TIFF market kicking off, Lionsgate has swooped in to acquire the U.S. theatrical rights to the remake of the 1994 cult classic “The Crow” with the late Brandon Lee. The remake stars Bill Skarsgård, FKA twigs, and Danny Huston and is directed by Rupert Sanders. The studio plans to release it next year.
Deadline, which first reported the news, said the sale was an 8-figure deal. CAA Media Finance handled the sale.
The revenge film is based on the graphic novel by James O’Barr from 1989. Zach Baylin (“Creed III,” “King Richard”) and Will Schneider wrote the adaptation. “The Crow” is produced by Victor Hadida, John Jencks, the late Samuel Hadida, and the late Edward R. Pressman. The production companies are Davis Films, Hassell Free Productions, Electric Shadow Company, and Pressman Film, now led by Sam Pressman. The film was shot on location in Prague and Munich.
“Fackham Hall” Section: Market Distributor: Bleecker Street Date Acquired: Sept. 7
Bleecker Street has acquired the rights to an upcoming British period comedy film called “Fackham Hall” that has attached Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston, and Emma Laird. The film will begin principal photography in the UK early next year, and Bleecker Street will release it theatrically in the U.S.
“Fackham Hall” will be directed by Jim O’Hanlon (“Catastrophe,” “Trying”) and is written by Jimmy Carr, Patrick Carr, and the Dawson Brothers. The film is intended to be a spoof comedy send up of period dramas like “Downton Abbey” and “Gosford Park.” The film follows the unlikely relationship between a new porter and the youngest daughter of a prominent family after the epic failure of the eldest daughter’s wedding.
“Fackham Hall” is an Equity production, is being produced by Kris Thykier and Danny Perkins under their label Mews Films. Bleecker Street’s Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson are executive producing alongside Anonymous Content’s Nick Shumaker, David Levine, Jimmy Carr, and Patrick Carr. The deal was negotiated by Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy on behalf of Bleecker Street with Anonymous Content and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
“Trailer of a Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars” Section: TIFF Wavelengths Distributor: Kino Lorber Date Acquired: Sept. 6
French New Wave master Jean-Luc Godard’s final work, a short film titled “Trailer of a Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars,” has been acquired for North American distribution rights by Kino Lorber, which plans to release it theatrically this fall followed by a run at New York’s Film Forum in December.
The 20-minute short film originally screened at Cannes and will next play Toronto in the Wavelengths section alongside works by Chantal Akerman and Pedro Costa, and it will also screen at the New York Film Festival.
Kino Lorber also acquired the North American rights to the documentary “Godard Cinema” from director Cyril Leuthy, which will screen at Film Forum and theatrically alongside “Phony Wars.”
Godard’s final, posthumous work “Phony Wars” is a collection of ideas, references, visuals, and notes from his own archives assembled into a mixed-media collage of history, politics, and cinema that gets inside Godard’s genius. The short is the culmination of an uncompleted feature project Godard was working on before his death in September 2022.
Godard wrote the film in collaboration with Jean-Paul Battaggia, Fabrice Aragno and Nicole Brenez. The film is produced by Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent and Gary Farkas, Olivier Muller, and Clément Lepoutre for Vixens, and co-produced by L’Atelier. The deal for “Trailer of a Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars”was negotiated by Kino Lorber Senior Vice President Wendy Lidell and Eva Diederix of Goodfellas.
“Origin” Section: Venice Competition Distributor: Neon Date Acquired: Sept. 5
Neon with a competitive bid landed Ava DuVernay’s film “Origin” ahead of its Venice world premiere and announced along with a teaser that it will release the racial drama theatrically later this year.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor stars in “Origin” as Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson, who wrote the seminal non-fiction book “Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents.” The book compares racism in America to the caste systems of both India and Nazi Germany and examines how hierarchy, inclusion, and exclusion have shaped our society’s views on race. The film stars Ellis-Taylor as Wilkerson as she grapples with a personal tragedy and sets herself on the path to write the book, finding beauty and bravery along the way.
Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood, Finn Wittrock, Jasmine Cephas-Jones, and Connie Nielsen also star in the film, which was written, directed, and produced by DuVernay through her ARRAY Filmworks banner. Paul Garnes also produced. The deal was negotiated by Tom Quinn for NEON with CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
Movies Acquired After Lineups Announced
“Infested” (Previously “Vermin”) Section: Venice Out of Competition Distributor: Shudder Date Acquired: August 24
Sébastien Vanicek directed and co-wrote this French horror debut feature about a venomous spider that escapes and multiplies, trapping its unsuspecting new owner. Théo Christine, Finnegan Oldfield, Jérôme Niel, Sofia Lesaffre, and Lisa Nyarko star in the film.
Shudder will release “Infested” on its streaming service in 2024 following a competition slot at Fantastic Fest later this year. The deal was negotiated by Charades and WTFilms on behalf of the filmmakers and Emily Gotto on behalf of Shudder.
“Inshallah A Boy” Section: TIFF Centerpiece Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment Date Acquired: August 21
The directorial debut of Jordanian director Amjad Al Rasheed follows the story of a mother and her daughter who face destitution after the mother’s husband suddenly passes away — unless she can give birth to a boy.
The film premiered at Cannes in the festival’s Critics’ Week, and Greenwich Entertainment picked up U.S. rights for a release in January following its North American TIFF premiere.
“Housekeeping for Beginners” Section: Venice Horizons Distributor: Focus Features Date Acquired: August 15
Goran Stolevski directs this film about a woman reluctantly forced to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters, a young troublemaker and a rebellious teenager, butting heads and becoming an unlikely family along the way. The film stars Anamaria Marinca, Alina Serban, Samson Selim, Vladimir Tintor, Mia Mustafa, Dzada Selim, Sara Klimoska, Rozafë Çelaj, and Ajse Useini.
No release plans have been set. The deal was negotiated by Jan Naszewski and Katarzyna Siniarska on behalf of New Europe Film Sales
“Evil Does Not Exist” Section: Venice Competition/TIFF Special Presentation Distributor: Janus Films and Sideshow
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up to “Drive My Car” landed with the same distributors that launched that film to a Best Picture nomination. It will be released in 2023 following a festival run but does not have a release date.
“Evil Does Not Exist” follows a glamping community that sets up in a small village outside Tokyo, causing unrest among the locals and impacting the town’s ecological balance. The film stars Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, and Ayaka Shibutani.
“Riddle of Fire” Section: TIFF Midnight Madness Distributor: Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome Date Acquired: August 7
Originally debuting at Cannes’ Directors Fortnight, “Riddle of Fire” is an adventure film following mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand. Director Weston Razooli shot the film on 16mm.
“Riddle of Fire” will be released theatrically in early 2024 with a 35mm print touring several cities, and the distributors aim to release other merchandise and board games tied to the film.
The deal was negotiated by Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick on behalf of Yellow Veil Pictures and Justin LaLiberty on behalf of Vinegar Syndrome with Shane Kelly, Mister Smith’s Vice President, International Sales & Distribution, on behalf of Mister Smith Entertainment and the filmmakers.
Movies Arriving with Distribution in Place
[Editors note: The below are movies making world premieres at Venice, Telluride, and/or TIFF.]
Michael Mann’s biopic of the famed car designer Enzo Ferrari stars Adam Driver, Penelopé Cruz, and Shailene Woodley. Neon acquired it in June, and the film already trotted out cast to Venice along with an interim agreement.
Pablo Larrain directs this (literally) biting, gothic satire that imagines Chilean dictator Agosto Pinochet as a blood-sucking vampire. The film launches on Netflix September 15 after a brief theatrical run one week earlier.
“The Killer” Section: Venice Competition Distributor: Netflix
David Fincher’s thriller stars Michael Fassbender as a hitman having a psychological crisis. Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, and Sophie Charlotte also star. The film launches on Netflix November 10 and in theaters October 27.
Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic that he directed and starred in (prosthetic nose and all) figures to be a major Oscar contender. It opens on Netflix December 20 and in theaters November 22.
Sofia Coppola directs this biopic focused on Elvis’ wife, with Cailee Spaney as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as The King. It opens October 6.
“The Promised Land” Section: Venice Competition Distributor: Magnolia
Nikolaj Arcel’s historical epic about a Danish conqueror fighting the elements stars Mads Mikkelsen.
“The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” Section: Venice Out of Competition Distributor: Republic Pictures for Showtime
What is now William Friedkin’s final film stars Kiefer Sutherland and is a new take on “The Caine Mutiny” military courtroom drama that originally starred Humphrey Bogart. The film will debut on Paramount+ with Showtime on October 6 and on the linear Showtime channel on October 8.
The “Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets” team comes to Venice with another genre-bending documentary blended with more surreal elements as a group of small-town Oregon teenagers embark on a journey across the American West to reach “The Party at the End of the World” over 500 miles away. MUBI is planning a 2024 theatrical release.
“Fingernails” Apple
“Fingernails” Section: Telluride Distributor: Apple TV+
“The Bear’s” Jeremy Allen White, Riz Ahmed, and Jessie Buckley star in this sci-fi romance from director Christos Nikou. It opens November 3.
“High & Low: John Galliano” Section: Telluride Distributor: MUBI
Acquired out of the Cannes market, Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland”) directs this documentary about fashion designer John Galliano, whose career was derailed after being caught using anti-semitic slurs.
“The Holdovers” Section: Telluride Distributor: Focus Features
Alexander Payne’s reunion with Paul Giamatti screened only in secret at last year’s TIFF and was the largest sale by far, selling to Focus Features for $30 million. It opens in theaters November 10.
Director-writer Annie Baker makes her debut with this drama about 11-year-old Lacy, her mother Janet, and the three people who come into their lives over one summer in 1991 in Western Massachusetts.
“Nyad” Section: Telluride Distributor: Netflix
Annette Bening stars as world-class swimmer Diane Nyad, who aimed to become the first person to swim between Florida and Cuba without the aid of a shark cage, all at age 60. The film is directed by “Free Solo” directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
“The Royal Hotel” Section: Telluride Distributor: Neon
Kitty Green’s latest reunites her with Julia Garner for a thriller about backpackers in Australia confronted with a group of unruly locals and a dangerous situation gone wrong.
“Rustin” Section: Telluride Distributor: Netflix
Colman Domingo stars in George C. Wolfe’s biopic on the life of Bayard Rustin, an activist who organized the 1963 March on Washington during the Civil Rights movement. It opens in theaters November 3 and on Netflix November 17.
Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi star in Emerald Fennell’s follow-up to “Promising Young Woman,” a decadent commentary on the upper class lifestyle. It opens in theaters November 24.
“The Boy and the Heron” Section: TIFF Gala Presentations Distributor: GKIDS
Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki directs what is likely his final film about a teenage boy who enters a magical world and encounters a talking gray heron.
“Dumb Money” Section: TIFF Gala Presentations Distributor: Sony
Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya”) directs the true story of how amateur investors on Reddit bested Wall Street and turned GameStop into a “meme stock.” Paul Dano leads the cast, and the film opens in theaters October 6.
“Finestkind” Section: TIFF Gala Presentations Distributor: Paramount+
“Finestkind” stars Ben Foster and Toby Wallace as estranged brothers who hatch a deal with a Boston crime syndicate after their debts begin to pile up. Tommy Lee Jones and Jenna Ortega also star in Brian Helgeland’s crime drama.
“Sly” Section: TIFF Gala Presentations Distributor: Netflix
Sylvester Stallone gets his own biographical documentary from director Thom Zimny. It hits Netflix November 3.
“American Fiction” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Amazon/MGM
Based on the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett, Jeffrey Wright stars in Cord Jefferson’s satire as an author who finds wild success writing a book based on every Black cliché he can think of.
“The Burial” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Amazon/MGM
Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx star in this courtroom drama from director Maggie Betts that is based on a true story.
“Next Goal Wins” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Taika Waititi’s long-awaited dramedy stars Michael Fassbender as the new coach of a hopeless American Samoa soccer team that famously lost a match 31-0.
“Pain Hustlers” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Netflix
Emily Blunt and Chris Evans star in this film from David Yates about a bankrupt pharmacist who gets entangled in a criminal conspiracy.
“Quiz Lady” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Hulu
Awkwafina and Sandra Oh star as sisters who have to pay off their mother’s gambling debts by going on a quiz game show. Jessica Yu directs the film that also stars Will Ferrell and Jason Schwartzman.
“Reptile” Section: TIFF Special Presentations Distributor: Netflix
Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake, and Alicia Silverstone star in this noir in which, Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems, and by doing so dismantles the illusions in his own life. It opens September 29 in theaters and October 6 on Netflix
“Irena’s Vow” Section: TIFF Centerpiece Distributor: Quiver Distribution
“Irena’s Vow” is a Canadian and Polish Holocaust drama about a nurse forced to work under Nazi officers who manages to rescue over a dozen Jewish refugees. Sophie Nélisse stars.
“Silver Dollar Road” Section: TIFF Docs Distributor: Amazon Studios
“I Am Not Your Negro” director Raoul Peck directs this latest documentary about a Black family in North Carolina that battles decades of harassment by land developers trying to seize their waterfront property.
“Stamped From the Beginning” Section: TIFF Docs Distributor: Netflix
Roger Ross Williams‘ documentary brings to the screen Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s 2016 book about the influence of anti-Black racist ideas throughout American history. It hits Netflix November 15.
Kristoffer Borgli directs Nicolas Cage as a hapless family man who finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers start seeing him in their dreams. The film is an offbeat comedy and is produced by Ari Aster.
“Dicks: The Musical” Section: TIFF Midnight Madness Distributor: A24
Larry Charles (“Seinfeld,” “Borat”) directs this “depraved” musical comedy that is a twist on “The Parent Trap.” It stars Megan Thee Stallion, Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, and Bowen Yang as God.
Purelink made their name with a sound as specific as it is obscure. On the A-side of their debut EP, 2021’s Bliss / Swivel, the Chicago trio of Tommy Paslaski (aka Concave Reflection), Ben Paulson (aka Kindtree), and Akeem Asani (aka Millia) conjured a hazy fusion of ambient and dub that harked back to the gauziest extremes of late-’90s electronica. Their sound wasn’t exactly retro, but it was obviously influenced by a clearly delineated set of artists who typified ambient techno’s Y2K vanguard.
On “4K Murmurs,” featuring J, the lead single from their upcoming mini-LP for Los Angeles’ Peak Oil, Purelink burrow more deeply into the same diaphanous sound. Very little seems to happen across the song’s seven-minute run; it doesn’t so much sprawl as swirl in place, a pastel mist of synths pocked by gentle cymbal taps. But turn it up loud, and hidden details emerge from the fog: muted piano notes, a flicker of what might be electric guitar, a bassline so deep that your bones pick up on it before your ears. It’s topped off with a curious, intermittent pinging of unclear origins. A chirping insect? A dime spinning on a tile countertop? It’s impossible to say, but the shimmering accent is the perfect complement for a song that seems to glow from within.
A24 has acquired theatrical distribution rights to “Sing Sing,” five days after the Colman Domingo-starring drama made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The indie banner confirmed the deal Friday evening.
Directed by Greg Kwedar, the film is inspired by the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, following a group of inmates who collaborate on stage shows. Domingo, who was also represented at TIFF with the George C. Wolfe-directed biopic “Rustin” from Netflix, leads “Sing Sing,” joined by a cast that includes Paul Raci, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his supporting turn in “Sound of Metal,” as well as Clarence Maclin and Sean San José.
“Sing Sing” was financed and produced by Black Bear, the Marfa Peach Company and Edith Productions, with Kwedar working with Clint Bentley and Brent Buell to adapt the script from Buell’s play “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code.”
CAA Media Finance handled the North American deal, while producer and financier Black Bear is still courting buyers for international territories.
In Variety’s review of “Sing Sing,” critic Stephen Saito had strong praise for the feature, hailing “the deeply empathetic and hugely engaging look it offers of the carceral system, where no one should be defined by their past and written off by society.” Saito also highlighted Domingo’s lead turn as a “commanding performance” that “is also captivating when simply taking in information, instinctively recognizing when to cede the spotlight to his nonprofessional co-stars.”
Deadline first reported A24’s acquisition of “Sing Sing.”
A little over a week ahead of the 2023-24 WHL season, the Saskatoon Blades have finally answered a question that fans have been wondering all off-season. Who will be replacing longtime defender Aidan De La Gorgendiere as team captain?
That answer officially came Friday, as the Blades sewed a ‘C’ onto Trevor Wong’s number 38 jersey.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Wong. “I’m just totally honoured to be part of this organization. I got traded here a few years ago and to be the captain of this team and these guys, it’s pretty special.”
Wong is set to enter his third season in Saskatoon and fifth in the WHL, becoming a fan-favourite since being acquired from the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for Colton Dach in a blockbuster trade before the 2021-22 season.
Saskatoon Blades teammates aiming to bounce back with healthy WHL seasons
In that time, Blades head coach Brennan Sonne has seen Wong grow into a role as a quiet, but reliable leader for the team’s younger players.
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“Trevor is what the Blades aim to be,” said Sonne. “He leads by example, he’s a great teammate, he’s passionate. He doesn’t just lead by barking or talking, it’s action. When he does talk it’s because he lives it every day, you listen to him.”
Sonne referenced a moment last season when he saw Wong speaking with a young teammate who was going through a tough time, only returning to the area close to an hour later to see the pair still sharing a conversation.
“Trevor has the heart of a lion,” said Sonne. “He works constantly, tirelessly, but is a phenomenal leader of the pride. His empathy, his humanity, his aspiration, his care for his teammates are all qualities that we want and want to live by. That’s what he is, he lives that culture and that humanity every day.”
Wong had a breakout year offensively for Saskatoon last season, not only leading the team in regular season scoring with 27 goals and 86 points in 68 games, but also as tops in the Blades playoff scoring with 21 points in 18 games.
While he began his career as a Rocket, Wong considers himself fully a part of the Blades fabric and is glad to be carrying on a legacy of leadership in Saskatoon.
“I love building relationships and getting to know guys,” said Wong. “Being the new guy when I was 18, I just wanted to make as many friendships as I could. So it’s pretty special to get that kind of vote from them.”
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As for alternate captains, Sonne confirmed those will be formally announced in the coming weeks.
Set to graduate from the WHL after this coming season, life after junior hockey is front of mind for Wong and the Blades’ leadership group this year.
“We obviously like to build men,” said Wong. “Guys that graduate from this program, they want to go into this world and be other people than hockey players and build great people overall.”
Wong will wear the ‘C’ on his jersey for the first time on Saturday night in Warman as the Blades host the Prince Albert Raiders for their final pre-season game ahead of their 2023-24 season opener on September 23 in Regina.
Sofia Coppola and Elle Fanning attended the Chanel and W Magazine dinner to celebrate the launch of “Sofia Coppola Archive: 1999-2023,” the first book from Sofia Coppola.
Oprah Winfrey addressed the online criticisms she and Dwayne Johnson have faced following the launch of their People’s Fund of Maui, which distributes cash directly to people who were affected by the wildfires on the Hawaii island.
Winfrey and Johnson contributed an initial payment of $10 million to the fund and invited the public to contribute their own donation for the rest of it. When it launched at the end of August, critics began questioning why the two celebrities didn’t just fund it entirely themselves.
“All the online [conversations] — being slammed, lies, conspiracy theories — really took the focus off of what was the most important thing and that was the people of Maui,” Winfrey said on a recent CBS Mornings appearance. “I was on the ground talking to lots of people trying to figure out how do I best help.”
She continued by explaining that, at first, she was contributing material things, like generators and towels, and as she spoke to people, she felt they wanted agency. Then, Gayle King’s son, Will, shared an article with Winfrey about Dolly Parton starting a people’s fund in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, after the wildfires that took place there in 2017.
“She had a concert,” the talk show host said. “She raised $12.5 million and then directly gave it to the people, $1,000 a month. I thought, ‘Whoa, that’s the idea.’ [Money] directly into the hands of the people. So, to set up the infrastructure for that, The Rock and his team and my team, we were on, I don’t know how many Zooms to set up the infrastructure for the verification process to be able to drop money into people’s accounts.”
They thought about how they have both given to charity their whole lives and felt like starting with $10 million worked because it was enough to kick things off before opening the Maui wildfires fund up to people who wanted to help but didn’t know how.
“I was so excited about it. Then, I got up the next morning, and I saw all of this vitriol, and I was like, ‘Whoa, what happened here?’ So, this is what I want to say,” Winfrey shared. “I think, in the beginning, so many people were calling asking, ‘Where do we give our money to?’ So, I thought, ‘I’m gonna give people a place to… We’re gonna create something.’”
Despite the pushback she and Johnson have received for the fund, Winfrey noted she still thinks it’s a strong idea.
“Putting money directly into the hands of the people is a significant thing,” she concluded. “I will say that, as of today, 2,200 people have been cleared and verified. Those people are going to get a notice from the People Fund of Maui and are going to have the money.”
Screenwriters: Christos Nikou, Sam Steiner, Stavros Raptis
Logline: In the near-future, in a time when the existence of love can be scientifically proven with a simple procedure, a young woman (Jessie Buckley) finds her life changing when she starts a new job at a love-testing institute.
U.S. Distributor: Apple TV+
Panelists: Christos Nikou (director).
First Screening: Sept. 13, 2023.
Key Quote: “I was trying to understand the last years of my life, in a personal way, but I was also looking at a lot of friends around me and some couples that I know. I wanted to know, ‘What is going on with love? Why is love is a little bit different and more difficult right now? Why are people are meeting only through dating apps and social media?’ They’re using technology in order to find love and also to find some answers around love. So that was the initial idea.” – Christos Nikou
WGAW President Meredith Stiehm says there’s a distinction in the backlash and anger over talk show hosts like Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Hudson and Bill Maher returning, and that is that only one of them is a Writers Guild member.
During a brief interview on Thursday for CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper, Stiehm addressed the criticisms that multiple Hollywood hosts have faced as they’ve announced plans to resume production on WGA-covered shows nearly 140 days into the ongoing strike.
For the WGA leader, backlash and accusations of scabbing are different for those like Maher and SAG-AFTRA member Barrymore, who on Friday offered another, equally criticized, statement on her decision to return her self-titled daytime talk show to air despite the AMPTP and WGA not yet having a new contract.
“There is a distinction between Bill Maher and the others because he is a Writers Guild member. The others, I believe, are SAG members, and they may have waivers to do the shows. I’m not sure. But he’s a Writers Guild member, and he’s going back to work, so yes, a lot of people are saying that’s scabbing,” she said. “There’s definitely some anger that he’s doing that.”
Stiehm went on to echo a point in response to certain hosts’ decisions to resume amid an ongoing work stoppage after hosts like Maher, and Barrymore again today, have pointed to wanting to get their lower-paid crew members back to work despite other shows and their workers having to remain paused.
“There are other hosts of shows that are taking care of their shows by paying for them themselves,” she told Tapper. “We’re all worried about our crews, and the ripple effect that the work stoppage has created.”
On Wednesday, Maher announced over X (the platform formerly known as Twitter), that his show Real Time would be coming back “sans writers or writing.”
“It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems and concerns,” he wrote. “I’m not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”
Maher added that when the show returns, he plans to “honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue” and other scripted elements like the “New Rules” segment.
Within the last week, Maher, Barrymore, The Jennifer Hudson Show and The Talk, which are all WGA-covered shows, have announced that they will begin production once again despite the work stoppage which began on May 2. The Drew Barrymore Show and The Talk have already been met with pickets, with pickets for The Jennifer Hudson Show anticipated.
In a previous statement responding to Maher’s announcement, the WGA said the Real Time host’s “decision to go back on the air while his Guild is on strike is disappointing.
“If he goes forward with his plan, he needs to honor more than ‘the spirit of the strike,’” it continued. “As a WGA member, Bill Maher is obligated to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show.”
Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan danced to Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya.
Even eight days after its release, Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan has refused to slow down at the box office.
Following the huge success of Atlee’s Jawan, Shah Rukh Khan is all set for a media meet at the YRF studios today. Ahead of the big event, his manager, Pooja Dadlani, took to Instagram to share his look. Shah Rukh Khan can be seen in a crisp, white shirt paired with a black blazer with a belt detailing near the waist. He pulled his long locks back in braids. Deepika Padukone slipped into a white chiffon sari with black, sequined border, and a halter-neck blouse. At the press conference, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone also shook a leg to Jawan’s hit romantic song, Chaleya, as music composer Anirudh Ravichander, crooned the song.
But the star performance for the night was reserved for the end of the event. Shah Rukh Khan along with the girl squad including Ridhi Dogra, Sanya Malhotra and Deepika Padukone, shook a leg to Not Ramaiya Vastavaiya. Sunil Grover, director Atlee and Anirudh, too, joined them. Check out the video right here:
Before drawing the curtains on the event, Shah Rukh khan said, “Jawan is a feeling that every Indian has, an emotion, jawan is an Indian soldier, an Indian mother, an Indian girl and an Indian vigilante. And Jawan, on many times, is weak like all of us. And many times, he’s ready for a fight.” He also said, “I am working harder than I have worked in 29 years and I hope I can continue to do the right films. God has been kind with Pathaan and even kinder with Jawan.
Even eight days after its release, Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan has refused to slow down at the box office. The film continues to earn in double digits and is now inching close to Rs 400 crore mark.
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, music and fashion, she…Read More
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Starting with the iPhone 12 release in September 2020, Apple began shipping its smartphone models without a wall charger and earbuds, citing environmental concerns from excess packaging. While most people eventually bought these accessories to pair with their phones, you may have to pick up a few additional items now, with the unveiling of Apple’s new iPhone 15.
The iPhone 15 — and its new USB-C port for charging and data transfer — means many iPhone users will need a new wall charger to power up their phone. The iPhone 15 also once again does not come with earbuds — or even a slot to plug in wired earbuds — so you’ll have to find a workaround for that as well.
Whether you need phone add-ons or peripherals, or you’re just looking for extras, we put together a handy roundup of the best iPhone 15 accessories to help you get the most out of your new smartphone. Ahead, you’ll find our recommendations for wall chargers, earbuds, cables and cases for the iPhone 15.
Best Chargers for iPhone 15
Anker 511 Nano Pro USB-C Wall Charger
The Anker 511 Nano Pro USB-C Wall Charger will do the trick to power up your iPhone 15 smartphone. It supports fast charging up to 20 watts and it’s on sale for $13.99, or 27% off at Amazon, which is cheaper than Apple’s own charger. It’s compact and lightweight too at just over one ounce in weight, so you can take it anywhere.
Why charge one device when you can charge two at the same time? The Spigen Dual USB-C Charger comes with two USB-C ports that both support fast charging up to 40 watts (each port caps out at 20 watts). However, if you use just one port at a time, you can get up to 30 watts of fast charging for devices that support those speeds.
On sale for 40% off at Amazon (as of this writing), the JBL Tune 130NC True Wireless Earbuds feature premium audio that’s full and rich. They have noise-canceling features to block out the outside world, so you can really enjoy your favorite music and podcasts.
From JBL’s line of editor-approved picks, these earbuds have a long battery life of up to 40 hours, which is nearly two days of use before their next charge. In a pinch? Get two hours of juice after just 10 minutes of charging.
If you’re looking for something that’s stylish with top-of-the-line audio, then the Beats Powerbeats Pro are for you. They have a snazzy and bold hook design that goes around each ear, so they won’t suddenly fall out when working out or going for a run.
And since Apple owns Beats by Dre, these wireless earbuds have the same seamless syncing technology as the Apple AirPods, but with richer audio with deep bass. The Beats Powerbeats Pro also come in three colors: Black, Ivory and Navy.
Want a way to connect your wired earbuds or headphones to your phone? The iPhone 15 does not have a headphone jack, so you’ll want to pick up the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter, which is one of the best ways to plug in your headphones into the iPhone directly. Plug in one end of the adapter jack into the smartphone and then plug in a pair of wired earbuds or headphones to start rocking out to your favorite tunes.
Although the iPhone 15 already comes with a charging cable in the box, it’s a good idea to pick up a “just in case” cable for the office, your backpack or purse, or your car. The tough and durable Belkin USB-C to USB-C Cable is 3.3-feet in length, supports fast charging and is compatible with just about any device with USB-C ports, including Apple iPad, Apple MacBook Air, Samsung Galaxy S23, Google Pixel 7 and much more.
The iPhone 15 is a pretty expensive investment with prices starting at $799. So why not protect it from scratches and dents with a premium phone cases? The Totallee Clear iPhone 15 Case is slim and minimal, while it protects the smartphone in style with a transparent finish. It also gives the iPhone 15 some grippiness, so it won’t slide out of your hands.
Want something more heavy duty? Made from flexible Thermoplastic Polyurethane plastic, the Ego Tactical Rugged Shield iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Case is tough and strong, while it can stand up drops, dings and other accidents. In fact, this phone case meets military drop-test standards for durability.
Using your iPhone case as a wallet is smart and practical since you only have to carry one item instead of two. The Cardpakee Wallet Phone Case for iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro comes with two card slots for credit cards and a driver’s license, while there’s an additional slot on the side for another card or some cash. The case is even foldable to keep your valuables hidden away until you need it.
Blue Beetle had a solid opening weekend with $3.3 million from previews, but it may fall short of the projected $30 million mark.
Despite facing competition from Barbie, Blue Beetle is expected to finish in first place at the box office this weekend.
The film needs to perform well in the coming weeks as more big releases are predicted, including The Equalizer 3 and The Nun II.
It looks like Blue Beetle won’t get stepped on, or squashed, during its opening weekend. The new DC flick from director Ángel Manuel Soto began its theatrical run with previews on Thursday, August 17. And the film brought in $3.3 million domestically from those early screenings. However, it looks like the superhero film may not reach the $30-million mark as some projections suggested.
On Friday, August 18, Blue Beetle’s early returns show the movie brought in about $9.8 million (per Deadline), which suggests Soto’s venture will more likely come in at around $25 million when the weekend is over. By comparison, another DC film, The Flash, opened back in June to $55 million during its first three days in theaters. However, Warner Bros. will come out the winner regardless, as Blue Beetle and the studio’s monster hit Barbie are both projected to finish in first and second place this weekend.
Blue Beetle opened in 3,871 theaters today, while Barbie still sits comfortably in just over 4,000 during its fifth weekend of release. Projections have Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the Mattel doll doing tremendous business once again to the tune of a $20-million haul. Getting lost in the shuffle of Warner’s winning combination is Will Ferrell’s R-rated, live-action comedy Strays, which made $1.1 million during its Thursday previews.
Blue Beetle should make enough money to squeak by Barbie for the No. 1 spot at this weekend’s box office. But it’s going to be a closer race than some might think. Thursday’s modest $3.3-million take could be a red flag for Ángel Manuel Soto’s film. The reason: Barbie closed out its fourth full-week in theaters with $3.9 million of its own on Thursday — beating Blue Beetle.
On Friday, though, the tide changed. Barbie brought in only $6 million, which gave Blue Beetle’s $9.8 million the edge. It also appears that Strays won’t find a home in third place because Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is predicted to drop a nearly $11-million bomb on the box office over the weekend, which means Will Ferrell’s raunchy comedy Strays will have to settle for fourth place with around $8.5 million.
Gran Turismo finally races onto the scene next weekend. So, Blue Beetle needs a strong week because Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer 3 is predicted to dominate with $35 million over the Labor Day holiday. Beyond that, The Nun II is forecast to terrorize cinemas the following weekend with a $30-million take of its own. So, Blue Beetle needs to pray for a little assistance at the box office over the early course of its theatrical run.
Google will pay it reached with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, resolving allegations that the company’s location-privacy practices violated the state’s consumer protection laws. The California Department of Justice claimed that Google was “collecting, storing, and using their location data” for consumer advertising purposes without informed consent.
The complaint alleges that Google continued to collect consumer data related to a user’s location even when a user turned the “location history” feature off. The company settled similar and for illegally tracking consumers.
In addition to paying $93 million, Google agreed to “deter future misconduct.” This settlement, which won’t really hurt Google’s deep pockets, is important because the tech giant generates the majority of its revenue from advertising and location-based advertising is a critical feature of its advertising platform.
Moving forward, the California AG is asking Google to provide additional transparency about location tracking by providing users with detailed information about location data it collects. The company must also provide disclaimers to users that their location information may be used for ad personalization.
Engadget reached out to Google for comment but didn’t receive a response.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON: 20th Century Studios/Disney’s A Haunting in Venice is looking to perform slighty better than expected with a $5.3M Friday, inclusive of previews, and a 3-day of $14M.
That’s a slightly better start than Death on the Nile’s $12.8M opening, but not as glamorous as 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express‘ $28.6M among Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot adaptations. Pic is playing at 3,305 theaters.
A Haunting in Venice isn’t really scaring that much excitement up on social media either per RelishMix with social media universe across Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok at 79.1M — 59% under horror and previous Branagh Agatha Christie norms. The campaign per RelishMix skews 25+ “running off of the 20th Studios social network at 44.8M fans and cross promoting on Death on the Nile pages in lieu of launching unique official pages for the film.”
Adds RelishMix in regards to chatter online, “Social buzz on Haunting prior to opening runs mixed-leaning-positive on this third installment, spinning into horror. Fans are exclaiming, ‘Mixing horror and a Hercule Poirot murder mystery? Let’s see.’ and curious about by the casting of Tina Fey, although she’s in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. Kenneth Branagh’s consistent portrayal of Poirot coupled with his transition into horror directing gets mixed curious, sentiment from praise to skepticism. Amidst the chatter, some are referencing dim cinematography and past Agatha Christie disappointments.” Oy vey.
more….
Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh in ‘A Haunting in Venice’
20th Century
FRIDAY AM: 20th Century Studios’ A Haunting in Venice, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, scared up $1.2M in previews. The weekend outlook for the feature adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel Hallowe’en is $12M+, similar to what Branagh’s take on the author’s Death on the Nile did on its first weekend last year, $12.8M.
Comps for the expected older-female-skewing A Haunting in Venice include 2019’s Doctor Sleep, which did $1.4M on its Thursday before a $14M opening weekend; the 2018 Jennifer Lawrence Russian spy flick Red Sparrow ($1.2M Thursday previews and $17M opening); and last year’s Ticket to Paradise ($1.1M previews, $16.5M opening) and Death on the Nile ($1.1M previews).
As we mentioned, working in A Haunting in Venice‘s favor is that it’s the best reviewed of Branagh’s Hercule Poirot movies at 77% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes vs. 61% for Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. The downside is that Haunting isn’t tricked up with stars like Murder was; the only big names here outside Branagh are Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and 30 Rock‘s Tina Fey.
A Haunting in Venice could win the weekend if New Line’s The Nun 2 takes an enormous tumble deeper than 60%.
Haunting is booked at 3,305 theaters and also has the benefit of Imax and PLF ticket upcharges. Previews are composed of Imax Wednesday fan screenings as well as showtimes that began at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express earned B CinemaScores, so we’ll see how Branagh’s latest comes in. The third movie here, given its less-starry cast, cost a reported $60M before P&A versus Death on the Nile‘s $90M.
‘The Nun 2’
The Nun 2ends its first week at 3,728 theaters with $41.7M after a $1.7M Thursday, -15% from Wednesday.
Sony’s The Equalizer 3at 3,965 ends Week 2 with $16.6M after a $936K Thursday, -14% from Wednesday, for a running total of $66.4M.
Focus Features’ My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 at 3,650 ends Eeek 1 with $13.8M after a $735K Thursday, -11%.
Warner Bros’ Barbie, booked at 3,281 theaters — and on PVOD and digital sellthrough now — saw an eighth week of $7.5M after a $390K Thursday, -16% for running total of $622.1M. This weekend she takes over The Avengers ($623.3M) as the 11th-highest-grossing movie ever at the domestic box office.
Yash Raj’sJawansaw a Thursday of $367K, -20%, bringing its first week to $8.3M and a running total of $9.7M.
UPDATED withWGA and CBS Media Ventures statements:Drew Barrymore has posted an emotional apology to the WGA over her decision to return to her daytime talk show amid the ongoing Hollywood strikes. But the scribes’ guild is not feeling very forgiving it seems.
“I believe there’s nothing I can do or say in this moment to make it OK,” Barrymore said on Friday afternoon, holding back tears in a video posted on Instagram. “I wanted to own a decision, so that it wasn’t a PR-protected situation, and I would just take full responsibility for my actions.”
“I know there is just nothing I can do that will make this OK to those that it is not OK with,” Barrymore continued. “I fully accept that. I fully understand that. There are so many reasons why this is so complex, and I just want everyone to know my intentions have never been in a place to upset or hurt anymore. It’s not who I am. I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my life, and this is one of them.”
“I deeply apologize to writers. I deeply apologize to unions,” Barrymore said.
“There’s a huge question of the why — why am I doing this?” she continued. “Well, I certainly couldn’t have expected this kind of attention, and we aren’t going to break rules and we will be in compliance. I wanted to do this, because as I said, this is bigger than me and there are other people’s jobs on the line.”
The Writers Guild of America also saw a bigger issue at play in Barrymore bringing her show back while picket signs are still up.
“Drew Barrymore should not be on the air while her writers are on strike fighting for a fair deal,” a guild spokesperson told Deadline today after the ET actress’ video went up. “In reality, shows like this cannot operate without writing, and that is struck work.”
A spokesperson for CBS Media Ventures, The Drew Barrymore Show producer and distributor, released a statement in response to WGA, saying they “are very mindful and sensitive to the complex circumstances surrounding the show’s return and we will be in full compliance with all our labor agreements and any strike rules.” CBS also noted its hosts work under a separate agreement with SAG-AFTRA that allows Barrymore and other daytime hosts to continue hosting their shows. “While our show has been largely an unscripted talk show from the beginning, the new shows we are producing this season will be completely unscripted until the strike ends,” the statement emphasized, adding “No one on our staff will fill a writing position.” You can read the entire statement at the bottom of the story.
While The View has been on TV uninturrupted since the WGA went out on strike on May 2, the likes of The Talk and Real Time with Bill Maher are now planning to join Barrymore and soon return to air. A member of the WGA himself, Maher pledges there will be no writers on his HBO show while the strike continues — though how that can be if the accredited and awards nominated writer Maher himself is on the show seems hard to fathom.
In her earlier statement in which she said was returning to her daytime show, Barrymore said “I made a choice to walk away from the MTV, film and television awards because I was the host and it had a direct conflict with what the strike was dealing with which was studios, streamers, film, and television,” Barrymore said in a statement she shared on Instagram. “It was also in the first week of the strike and so I did what I thought was the appropriate thing at the time to stand in solidarity with the writers.”
She continued, “And to be clear, our talk show actually wrapped on April 20th so we never had to shut down the show. However, I am also making the choice to come back for the first time in this strike for our show, that may have my name on it but this is bigger than just me. I own this choice. We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time. I want to be there to provide what writers do so well, which is a way to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience. I hope for a resolve for everyone as soon as possible. We have navigated difficult times since we first came on air. And so I take a step forward to start season 4 once again with an astute humility.”
The Drew Barrymore Show Season 4 is set to premiere on Monday, September 18, a choice that Barrymore said is all on her and will be in compliance with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike rules.
See her entire video message below:
Full statement from CBS Media Ventures:
“As The Drew Barrymore Show returns with original episodes on Monday we are very mindful and sensitive to the complex circumstances surrounding the show’s return and we will be in full compliance with all our labor agreements and any strike rules. Our host works under a separate agreement with SAG-AFTRA (“The Network Code”) that allows Drew and other daytime hosts to continue hosting the show. While our show has been largely an unscripted talk show from the beginning, the new shows we are producing this season will be completely unscripted until the strike ends. No one on our staff will fill a writing position. If you watch the show, it is obvious that Drew has always brought raw, unfiltered, spontaneous, open and honest conversations to her viewers and that will continue. The show also moves forward with important consideration to our staff and crew comprised of over 150 people, as well as our loyal viewers. We fully support Drew and her entire team 100%.”
The consensus for subscribers of Disney+ is that the streaming service is for kids and families. However, some movies seem to be more geared towards adults. Disney+ has about 500 movies available, from childhood favorites to newer options. Setting Star Wars and Marvel aside, there are plenty of other options for adults. Disney+ has expanded its audience base and has created some of the best dark series that should be excluded from any kid’s watch list. Gone are the days when adults need to ask if there is anything for them to watch on the streaming service.
Disney+ does create a lot of magical content with cute animations and amazing production quality. Since they are widening their audiences, they have begun creating several titles that are non-animated and tackle subjects like drama, loss, violence, and other adult topics that should probably not be shown to a kid. So, what are the movies that the adults should queue up next? Disney+ has recently added a bunch of movies exclusively geared for adults. Here are the top Disney+ movies for adults that need to be watched next.
Updated September 15th, 2023, by Sean Shuman: This list of Disney+ movies for adults has been updated with even more entries to keep the discussion fresh.
15 Deadpool (2016)
20th Century Fox
Deadpool is one of the few adult-oriented superhero films out there, and surprisingly enough, it’s currently streaming on Disney+. Featuring Ryan Reynolds playing our titular loud-mouth mercenary, this film serves as an origin story for Deadpool following his subjection to a military experiment. Now granted near-immortality, a permanently scarred visage, and a morbid sense of humor, he seeks revenge on those who conducted the experiment to begin with.
The film was a passion project for Reynolds, with development stemming as far back as 2004. After a particularly disastrous appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the character was given a second chance with his crass humor and mature content intact. It’s a film whose wanton violence and mature themes make it perfect for an older audience. Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, you can also see Deadpool make his MCU debut in Deadpool 3 alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
14 Logan (2017)
20th Century Studios
Logan took everyone’s favorite adamantium-enhanced mutant and chiseled a mature story around him. Serving as the conclusion to the Wolverine trilogy that started with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, this dramatic send-off sees James “Logan” Howlett — aka, Wolverine — now plagued with a failing healing ability. Left to tend to an aging Professor X, Logan finds his world upended when the arrival of a new mutant sets off a powder keg of violence.
Directed by James Mangold, who directed the previous entry in the trilogy, The Wolverine, this exciting conclusion is as violent as it is saddening. It tackles some pretty lofty subjects, including aging and mortality, with a bittersweet ending adults can thoroughly appreciate. Of course, being an action film, Logan never skimps on Hugh Jackman slashing things with his claws. It’s widely considered to be one of the best comic book movies of the 2010s, on top of being one of the best Marvel movies period.
13 Isle of Dogs (2018)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Isle of Dogs may be another stop-motion Wes Anderson film, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s only for kids, Isle of Dogs feels more tailored for adults. Set in an alternate Japan, Isle of Dogs sees a city named Megasaki banishing its dog population to “Trash Island” due to the fear surrounding canine influenza. A young boy named Atari, the nephew of Megasaki’s mayor, ventures out to Dog Island to rescue his lost pet, all while rumors of misconduct back home start to take hold.
An ensemble cast comprised of Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, and more all lend their talent to Isle of Dogs. The film’s sense of humor, along with its overall tone, is surprisingly subdued given its outlandish premise. You can also expect Wes Anderson’s signature style to be present throughout, giving an extra layer of creativity through the medium of animation.
12 Miracle (2004)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
2004’s Miracle isone of the greatest sports movies ever made. As grandiose a statement as it is, you’d be hard-pressed to find people who disagree. Based on the true story surrounding the 1980 Winter Olympics, Kurt Russell stars as Herb Brooks, the coach for the United States men’s hockey team. With the United States set to compete against the Soviet Union he had to rally a group of underdogs together to create what would later become the famous “Miracle on Ice.”
Miracle will hit much harder for adults due to its historical context. Carried by its compelling performances and its incredible craftsmanship, what could’ve been a bog-standard success story is elevated into something truly compelling. Miracle is easily one of the most inspirational and unapologetically patriotic films of the mid-2000s.
11 Howard (2018)
Disney+
If you’ve grown up with classic Disney movies like Aladdin or The Little Mermaid, maybe you’d like to know how these terrific stories were brought to the big screen. Howard, an exclusive Disney+ documentary released in 2018, tells the story of the eponymous Howard Ashman, a lyricist noted to be one of the biggest contributors to the Disney Renaissance. After providing his talent to the ever-popular comedic musical Little Shop of Horrors, Ashman’s award-winning songs on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast would cement his legacy before his tragic passing in 1991.
This documentary not only focuses on his musical contributions but also Howard’s involvement with the Disney Renaissance behind the scenes as well as his projects outside of it. This extensive collection of archival footage and interviews is also assembled under Don Hahn’s direction, carrying with it a similar style to his 2009 documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty. It’s an essential piece of behind-the-scenes Disney history that any fan of the company should consider seeing.
Though plenty of us saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit? as kids, there are still plenty of things within it to appreciate as an adult. A tribute to the world of classic animation, this wild film innovated by blending the worlds of live-action and animation almost seamlessly, with Bob Hoskins being subjected to the cartoon mischief of Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse in equal measure. Hoskins plays a detective, Eddie Valiant, who is tasked with clearing the manic cartoon Roger Rabbit’s name after he’s charged with murder. Valiant will have to overcome his prejudice against Toons to solve the case.
As time goes by, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? feels more and more appropriate for adults. Maybe it’s because of the older properties referenced throughout the film’s story, or maybe it’s because of its cartoony spin on the noir genre. Either way, it’s still thoroughly entertaining more than two decades later.
9 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The long-awaited sequel to Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, was more than thirteen years in the making. Needless to say, the wait was worth it. Sam Worthington reprises his role as Jake Sully, who now happily lives among the Na’vi after successfully repelling the RDA’s invasion of Pandora. Though he has crafted a serene life for himself and his newfound family, the sudden return of the RDA to Pandora threatens the planet’s peaceful existence.
The Way of Water not only gives Jake something new to fight for, but it also gives him so much more to lose. There’s a good chance that after the lengthy gap in time between Avatar films, some who’ve seen the original now have children of their own. It’ll allow you to feel more connected to the film’s conflicts.
8 Remember the Titans (2000)
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
A white and a Black high school combine in suburban Virginia to create T.C. Williams High School. The integration of the schools wasn’t seen until the football team hit the field, and the Black school coach was hired as the head coach over the more experienced ones from the white school.
The team starts working and depending on one another to create one of the best teams the town has ever seen. Remember the Titans is a great movie that deals with some adult situations, re-creating the true story of the Titans for the big screen.
7 The Rookie (2002)
Walt Disney Pictures
Based on the true story of a high school baseball coach, Jim Morris is the oldest rookie in the major leagues. He makes a bet with his team to win the district championship after they continue to lose.
They do manage to win the championship, and Morris enters Major League Baseball at 35 as the oldest rookie in the majors. The movie stars Dennis Quad, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox. The Rookie is the perfect inspirational movie for any adult.
6 Hidden Figures (2016)
20th Century Fox
Hidden Figures is a biographical drama based on a non-fiction book. Three Black women mathematicians became extremely important to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race.
They became the brains that contributed to the success of the first launch during the beginning stages of the US space program. These three women come center stage and are seen as heroes in one of Disney’s best movies.
Homer continues to have a series of unfortunate events in The Simpsons Movie. The movie comes from the long-running animated series and follows the family after Homer decides to adopt a pig that fills a silo in two days. The big bad of Springfield, Russ Cargill, hounds President Arnold Schwarzenegger to destroy the town.
Russ wants him to put a dome over Springfield to prevent anyone from leaving. Homer decides to take down Rustoto to save his home and family. The film’s stakes are notably higher than those found in the original series, giving each member of the Simpson family some tangible growth throughout this feature-length adventure.
4 Avatar (2009)
20th Century Studios
After his brother dies on the planet Pandora, former marine and paraplegic Jake is taken up to replace his brother. Jake is to continue the mission that his brother was involved in and use his avatar since their genetics are similar.
The marine quickly learns of the evil intentions the humans have against the indigenous Na’vi who want to use their precious natural resources for their gain. Contemporary critics called director James Cameron a king of special effects when he created the jaw-dropping world of Avatar, with the 2022 follow-up giving Jake additional depth as a member of the Na’Vi.
3 The Finest Hours (2016)
The Finest Hours is a true story of survival in this historical drama. Disaster strikes in 1952 on the coast of Cape Cod when a blizzard hits and the SS Pendleton gets lost at sea. The US Coast Guard gets the call and decides to put together a rescue plan in one of the worst conditions possible.
This quickly becomes the most daring mission they have ever put together and succeeds in saving those on the SS Pendleton. This film will have any viewer on the edge of their seat. The director of The Finest Hours, Craig Gillespie, would later direct the acclaimed film I, Tonya in addition to Disney’s Cruella.
2 Free Solo (2018)
National Geographic Documentary Films
Free Solo won the Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards, making this a must-watch on Disney+. The film is not for the faint of heart to watch and might even scare most adults. Rock climber Alex Honnold prepares to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park after years of plotting out his every single move.
The title refers to his style of climbing as he scales the entire steep and slick wall without any harness or rope. All Honnold has with him is a back of chalk to help him grip and hold on. It’s an inspirational story that’ll convince you to pursue your passions.
1 Hamilton (2020)
Disney+
The acclaimed Broadway musical, Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda is based on the life of Alexander Hamilton. The musical includes hop, R&B, pop, and, soul as well as the traditional style of show tunes. The show does make some creative changes to actual events as non-white actors were cast as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures.
Miranda even stars in the show as Alexander Hamilton himself. The Broadway show has received high praise for its music and story while also reinterpreting Hamilton’s accomplishments through a modern context. With how Hamilton modernizes the story of its titular Founding Father, it’s a perfect musical for most adults.
scored its biggest audience since moving to streaming with its opening game of the 2023 season.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ 34-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings averaged 15.05 million viewers on Amazon’s Prime Video and local broadcast outlets in the teams’ home markets, according to Nielsen. That’s the largest audience, by about 2 million viewers, since the weeknight NFL showcase moved to Prime Video last year and up 15.5 percent from the previous high mark: 13.03 million for the opener last year.
And, per a customized report that integrates first-party streaming data with Nielsen’s national panel figures, the game averaged 16.6 million viewers across all platforms (including Twitch and NFL digital properties) and inclusive of computer and mobile devices.
TNF averaged about 9.6 million viewers last season in Nielsen’s ratings, somewhat below prior years when telecasts aired on Fox and the NFL Network (with the latter having a handful of exclusive contests). Amazon’s own figures for the games, which combine proprietary data with the Nielsen numbers, were somewhat higher, but the ad business for the games is determined by the Nielsen figures.
Nielsen had planned to incorporate some first-party data into Thursday Night Football‘s national ratings this season, but delayed implementing the combined numbers after criticism from other NFL broadcasters and an industry trade group, as well as the fact that the plan had yet to receive approval from the Media Rating Council, a regulatory body that accredits media measurement companies.
The higher number for Thursday’s game is Nielsen calls a custom integrated live streaming report. It combines Nielsen’s panel-based measurement with data from Amazon’s first party viewing signal, which is aggregated from connected TV devices.
Earl Sweatshirt and the Alchemist releasedVoir Dire through Gala Music in August. The album will get released across digital streaming platforms on Friday, October 6. The new edition will include “The Caliphate” and two other previously unreleased tracks, “Heatcheck” and ”Mancala.”
Earl Sweatshirt and Vince Staples have a long collaborative history that stretches back to the 2010 Earl mixtape. One of Staples’ biggest early features also came on the 2013 Doris single “Hive.” And, while Staples included “New EarlSweatshirt (Interlude)” on 2018’s FM!, the artists had not collaborated in earnest since 2015’s “Wool.”
On October 6, Earl Sweatshirt and the Alchemist will play the first show of their Voir Dire Tour.
A meeting that had been scheduled for today between the leaders of the Writers Guild of America and a group of concerned showrunners has been postponed as the guild prepares to resume contract bargaining talks with Hollywood’s major studios next week.
The meeting was set to take place on Friday. Kenya Barris, Noah Hawley and Sam Esmail have been among the showrunners seeking insight from WGA leadership to restart talks and bring an end the strike, which is now in its 137th day. The guild’s back-and-forth with showrunners came as the WGA also connected with the AMPTP on resuming bargaining negotiations next week. In that context, it’s understood that the sides agreed that the WGA should focus on preparing for negotiations. The approach of the Rosh Hashanah holiday this evening also complicated the effort for a Friday sit-down at WGA West headquarters.
The showrunners group has been active since Labor Day in trying to sit down with David Goodman and Chris Keyser, the co-chairs of the WGA negotiating committee, to express the urgency of resuming negotiations.
The meeting was first set for Sept. 8. It was rescheduled to Sept. 11, then canceled, then rescheduled again for Sept. 15.
Nevertheless, rumors about the meeting have circulated widely since last week, and may have added to the pressure on WGA leaders to return to the bargaining table.
On Wednesday, the WGA reached out to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to restart talks, according to the studio alliance. The WGA confirmed that the two sides are working on scheduling a resumption in talks, but did not comment on who made the first call.
Despite rising restlessness within the guild, there are no signs of open revolt or an effort to sideline leadership. All sides are in fact at pains not to be seen to be in disagreement, as the WGA has emphasized its rock-solid solidarity.
WGA leaders have put out the word that a showrunner meeting would be no big deal, as they talk with members all the time. And the showrunners themselves have sent a message that they are trying to be helpful, and are not trying to divide the guild.
The WGA has said that the latest offer from the AMPTP, which was made on Aug. 11, is not “nearly enough,” and has laid out deficiencies and loopholes in a half dozen areas. The WGA countered on Aug. 15, making slight moves from its previous position in a couple of areas.
The union and the studios spent the last three weeks waiting for the other to make a move. The WGA told members that a new offer from the studios would be coming, while the studios have said it’s the WGA’s turn to respond.
This week, several talk shows have announced they are returning for the fall season. Drew Barrymore drew sharp criticism for her announcement on Sunday that she would resume taping episodes without her three WGA writers. Bill Maher made a similar announcement on Wednesday. “The View” has also been taping since May without its two WGA writers.
The hosts are following the pattern set by Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Ellen DeGeneres, and others in the 2007-08 writers strike. Those hosts all returned to the air within a few weeks of the commencement of the strike, but without pre-written material.
Lifestyle content creator Kristy Scott has signed to Range Media Partners for representation, following this year’s release of her clothing line Vayra.
Scott’s lifestyle content on TikTok and Instagram showcases her life as a business owner and mother of two boys, while her family’s YouTube channel It’s The Scotts chronicles Scott’s family life in Houston, Texas featuring her husband Desmond Scott.
“I am thrilled that people are enjoying my content and are supportive when I launch new passion projects,” said Scott in a statement. “And I couldn’t be more excited to now have a partner like Range at my side to help me continue to realize all my aspirations, from collaborations to new businesses I want to build.”
Along with Vayra, Scott has also recently collaborated with eyewear company Diff, launching her own line of sunglasses. She has previously signed deals with companies like Estée Lauder, L’Oréal, Pantene, Bobbi Brown, Garnier, Clinique, State Farm, Kroger, Hilton and Google. This year, Scott was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for social media influencers.
“Kristy’s rapid growth and popularity in a short amount of time is a true testament to her work ethic, personal drive and genuine relatability. Beyond supporting her existing efforts, we are so excited to help expand her career into new areas. This is truly just the beginning,” said Eman Redwan, partner & co-head of digital at Range.
In addition to her new representation by Range Media Partners, Scott will continue to be repped by A3 and Nixon Peabody.
Autoworkers walked off the job on Friday at three factories that produce some of the Detroit carmakers’ most popular vehicles, the opening salvos in what could become a protracted strike that hurts the U.S. economy and has an impact on the 2024 presidential election.
Nearly 13,000 members of the United Auto Workers at plants in Ohio, Michigan and Missouri joined early Friday in what the union described as a targeted strike that could expand to more plants if its demands for pay raises of up to 40 percent and other gains were not met.
The union’s four-year contracts with three automakers — General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, Jeep and Ram — expired Thursday, and the companies and the union remained far from striking new deals.
The U.A.W.’s president, Shawn Fain, used sweeping language on Thursday to describe why his members were going on strike against all three automakers at the same time — something the union had never done in its nearly 90-year history.
“This is our generation’s defining moment,” Mr. Fain, the union’s first leader elected directly by members, said in an online video. “The money is there, the cause is righteous, the world is watching, and the U.A.W. is ready to stand up.”
The union and the companies did not negotiate on Friday, and the U.A.W. said it planned to resume bargaining on Saturday. President Biden dispatched two senior administration officials to Detroit on Friday to encourage the companies and union to reach agreements.
At a Ford plant in Wayne, Mich., west of Detroit, strikers waved placards — one read, “Record Profits; Record Contracts” — and gave thumbs-up to honking vehicles. A metal sign on a chain-link fence read, “Absolutely NO foreign cars allowed.” The protesters were assigned to a six-hour shift on the picket line. If the strike continues, they will be called to one shift per week.
While first and foremost a battle between autoworkers and automakers, the conflict could have far-reaching consequences. A lengthy strike would reduce the number of new cars available for sale, which could fuel inflation and force the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates high.
A strike also presents a quandary for Mr. Biden, who has called for rising incomes but must also be mindful of the strike’s economic impact and his goal to promote electric vehicles as a solution to climate change.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, the president strongly supported the union. “Over the past decade, auto companies have seen record profits, including in the last few years, because of the extraordinary skill and sacrifices of U.A.W. workers,” he said. “But those record profits have not been shared fairly.”
The U.A.W. says its pay demands roughly correspond to the increases in the compensation of the top executives at Ford, G.M. and Stellantis. The raises are also meant to help compensate workers for the ground they have lost to inflation and big concessions the union made to the automakers after the 2007-8 financial crisis, when G.M. and Chrysler were forced to restructure themselves in bankruptcy court.
But auto executives say they already pay production workers substantially more than rivals, like Tesla and Toyota, whose U.S. workers are not unionized. The companies also contend that such big raises would undermine their efforts to develop electric vehicles and remain relevant as the industry makes a difficult and costly shift from gasoline cars and trucks to electric vehicles.
Ford, which employs the most union members, reported a profit of $1.9 billion in the second quarter, equal to 4 percent of its sales. Tesla made $2.7 billion in the same period, about 11 percent of its sales.
Mary T. Barra, the chief executive of G.M., said the strikes would hurt the industry. “I’m extremely frustrated and disappointed,” she told CNBC on Friday. “We don’t need to be on strike right now.” She said the company had “put a historic offer on the table” that included better job security and “world-class health care.”
Mr. Fain’s decision to shut down just three factories is also a departure for the union, which in previous strikes typically walked out of all the factories of a single automaker. By interrupting production of some of the most profitable vehicles, while allowing most plants to keep operating, the union hopes to inflict pain on the carmakers while allowing most of its members to continue collecting paychecks.
Fewer than 10 percent of the nearly 150,000 U.A.W. members at the three companies are on strike. Limited strikes could allow the union to maintain the pressure longer by preserving its strike fund of $825 million. The union will pay striking workers $500 a week and cover their health insurance premiums.
In addition to the Ford plant in Michigan, which makes the Bronco and the Ranger pickup truck, workers shut down production at a G.M. plant in Wentzville, Mo., near St. Louis, that makes the GMC Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado, and a Stellantis complex in Toledo, Ohio, that makes the Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Wrangler. If no agreement is reached, the union is expected to target additional factories in weeks to come.
The union is also seeking cost-of-living adjustments that would protect workers if inflation flares up again. And it wants to reinstate pensions that the union agreed to do away with for newer workers after the financial crisis, improved retiree benefits and shorter work hours. The union also wants to eliminate a wage system that starts new hires at much lower wages than the top U.A.W. pay of $32 an hour.
As of Friday last week, the companies had offered to raise pay by around 14.5 percent to 20 percent over four years. Their offers include lump-sum payments to help offset the effects of inflation, and policy changes that would lift the pay of recent hires and temporary workers, who typically earn about a third less than veteran union members.
In a last-minute attempt to keep assembly lines running, G.M. offered its employees a 20 percent raise late Thursday and said it was willing to pay cost-of-living adjustments to veteran workers. The 20 percent increase would be far more than employees had received in decades. But the union rejected the offer, which it says would barely compensate for inflation.
Leaders of the automakers have criticized the U.A.W.’s tactics, focusing on Mr. Fain, who became president in March and declared an end to what he said were overly friendly relations between union leaders and auto executives. He took office after a federal corruption investigation resulted in prison terms for two former U.A.W. presidents.
Carlos Tavares, the chief executive of Stellantis, has called Mr. Fain’s strategy “posturing.” Ford’s chief executive, Jim Farley, said the two sides should be negotiating instead of “planning strikes and P.R. events.” And Ms. Barra of G.M. said that “every negotiation takes on the personality of its leader.”
If the autoworkers are successful, they could inspire workers in other industries. Union activism is on the rise: Hollywood screenwriters and actors have been on strike for months. In August, United Parcel Service employees won their biggest raises ever in a contract negotiated by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
“Workers have been squeezed for too long and now are realizing they can do something about it,” said Mijin Cha, an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who studies the relationship between labor’s interests and the fight against climate change. “People see there is a pathway to more economic security and workers do have power together.”
The strikes come as auto production is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, which caused shortages of semiconductors and other components. Car prices and wait times have come down, but dealer inventories remain low and a lengthy strike could eventually make it hard to find popular U.S.-made models.
“We’re not back to speed inventory-wise,” said Wes Lutz, the owner of Extreme Dodge, a car dealership in Jackson, Mich.
Scarcity is not always bad for carmakers. It allowed them to earn higher profit margins during the pandemic. And it would benefit any carmakers that were having trouble moving some models. Pat Ryan, chief executive of the car-shopping app Co-Pilot, said that Stellantis had at least 100 days of inventory for brands like Dodge and Chrysler, and that a strike could help it clear many dealers’ lots.
Still, if prices for popular models rise, that will be yet another speed bump in the Federal Reserve’s road to lowering inflation, and a political liability for Mr. Biden. The president, who has no formal role in the negotiations, said Friday that he had been in touch with union leaders and auto executives, in addition to dispatching the two administration officials to Detroit.
It is unclear how much of an effect the administration’s intervention will have on automakers or the union.
Despite Mr. Biden’s pro-union statements, Mr. Fain has withheld the U.A.W.’s endorsement for president despite generally backing Democrats, and he criticized federal incentives and loans to automakers for electric vehicle and battery production that do not require new factories to be unionized.
Former President Donald J. Trump, the front-runner in the Republican primary race, has been courting U.A.W. workers and attacked Mr. Biden’s electric vehicle policies as bad for workers and consumers.
Reporting was contributed by Neal E. Boudette, J. Edward Moreno, Santul Nerkar and Jeanna Smialek.
